Rose of Red
by Moonlight Enchantments
Summary: COMPLETE but I hate the end. A Beauty and the Beast retelling. Thirteen souls. Thirteen generations. Can the curse ever be broken? 'An evil enchantress... a poor family,' she said between laughs, 'Oh how amusingly romantic.'
1. Prologue

Adam Smith sat at his desk, doodling as usual. It was the first day back at school and he knew already that just because this was his Senior year, it wasn't going to be any different. Could he have been any more wrong? The bell rang and he slouched to class. He barely noticed the girl he banged into. He sighed as he entered Biology. What a great start to the year, double Biology. He sat down and there was a minor argument over who sat in the seats around him. He was, and he could say this truthfully, the most popular guy in school. Eventually it was decided that Jonny, Darren and Sam would be sitting next to him. He stayed silent through the whole debate. He didn't really care who sat next to him. He watched absent mindedly as students filed in through the doors.

That's when he saw her. She was new, he knew all the old faces. She had long black hair and piercing grey/blue eyes. She was wearing worn jeans, a purple tank top and bright pink converses. She slumped into a seat and looked out the window. She didn't look up any where else the whole lesson. He knew because he couldn't draw his eyes away from her, he was totally enraptured. Or ensnared as some might say.

He ran out of class after her and caught her arm. "Hey, I'm Adam."

She gave him a look of disdain, "And?"

"I'm just introducing myself," he smiled, "You'll want to know me."

"I doubt that highly," she sneered before walking off. Adam smiled to himself. He wasn't sure what it was. She was pretty enough, but there were plenty of pretty girls who were all over him. No, it was her... energy, the way she seemed, her charisma.

A few days passed and every time he saw her, he couldn't help but look. Even his friends noticed the difference.

"Adam, Adam! What you staring at? Oh that new girl."

"Yeah, anyone know what her name is yet?"

"No, she doesn't talk to anyone!"

Adam smiled again. That was another thing, she was so enigmatic, nobody knew anything about her. He hadn't even managed to find out her name yet. But by the end of the week, he decided he would have to ask himself. So, at lunch he went right up to her,

"So, what's your name, you never said."

She looked him up and down, he had blonde hair that sort of stuck up, emerald green eyes, he was tall and had quite an original fashion sense. Well, except that everyone seemed to copy him.

"Kairos," she said simply, before walking off. The next week he found a little about her everyday. It was almost as if she had made up her mind to talk to him, but didn't want to make it obvious. He had that effect on girls.

The next Friday he was walking her home. "You want me don't you," she said, smiling.

"I what?" He spluttered, she just looked at him, playing with her keys, "Maybe a little."

"So..." She stepped forward and pulled him down to meet her lips. Then they were kissing. To Adam it was as if fireworks went off or something. It was amazing.

"Wow, I think I love you!" He laughed, she smiled and went inside.

He saw her again on Monday. By now he had forsaken everyone. Including his girlfriend. Him and Kairos were making out in the hall when Jennifer came up to them.

"Excuse me, but like, what do you think you're like, doing?" She said, in her annoying way. Adam had only gone out with her because she was head cheerleader and it was a conquest he needed to boost his popularity to the top.

"Sorry Jen, but you know, you're like dumped!" He said mimicking her,

"Bitch!" Jennifer said to Kairos before running down the hall, she wasn't quick enough that they didn't see her tears though.

"You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend," Kairos said, looking at him with disdain.

"I don't now, and anyway, I only went out with her because..." And he went on to explain his ideas of conquests. It was true, he had gone out with most of the female population of the school at one point of another. Sometimes for bets or dares, sometimes just for fun. And he didn't know why he was telling her this. "But I want to change, I want you to change me."

"Fine, I will," she smiled, a glint in her eyes. "Hey why don't you come back to mine after school, you can actually come in this time."

He couldn't believe that she wasn't annoyed, but that was why he liked her. No, he loved her, he knew that now. He had never felt this way before, it had to be love.

They walked home holding hands. Even this simple touch was enough to send electricity up Adam's spine. Then they got to her house and went inside. The living room was pretty bare, just a sofa and a coffee table. Not even a t.v. He didn't get to see the rest of the house.

They were kissing on the sofa, then she pulled away, "You remember the first day of school?"

"Uh huh," he mumbled, trying to follow her mouth, but she put a hand on his chest,

"You bumped into me, that's why I didn't talk to you... and now I hear about your conquests, is that what I am?"

"No, of course not, I want you to..."

"Change you, of course," she interrupted, chuckling, then her voice changed, "That can be arranged," she stood up, and suddenly she seemed to tower over him. Her hair whipped about her, and she sneered at him. "You say you love me, but you don't know what love is! But you will learn, or else you will be cursed forever." She laughed, a high piercing laugh.

He jumped up and tried to get out of the room, this was seriously freaking him out. But as he reached out for the door handle he saw his hand was changing. Claws were forming and fur covered them. They were paws. He began to grow, his shoulders getting broader and hunched. Fur was covering his whole body. He had tusks and fangs in his mouth instead of teeth. He had a long shaggy mane. His clothes were clinging to him in shreds. His trainers had buckled, revealing that his feet were now also paws.

"What have you done to me?" He snarled, whipping around to face her. But Kairos was gone, in her place was a tall, willowy woman, with her hair and eyes.

"I have turned you into what you really are, a Beast," she laughed again, and suddenly they were no longer in her living room. They were in the courtyard of an ancient castle. The battlements towered above them and the fountain in the courtyard was silent. The only sound was her laughing.

"Turn me back."

"No such luck, that isn't how a curse works," she smiled, "anyway I thought you wanted me to change you? But of course, there is a get out clause." She waved her hand a red rose was suddenly floating in the air before them.

"Where are we?" He growled, "And what the hell do you want me to do with that rose?"

"We are in my castle, it's in England, but don't worry, nobody will pass, well actually I suppose that is a worry, because you see the only way to break the spell is for you to learn how to love, really love, and for someone to love you in return."

"I will never love again, not after what happened when I loved you!"

"You never loved me, you were infatuated with me, and it serves you right. Oh and the rose, it is enchanted, and will bloom for quite a while longer than normal roses, but, it will begin to wilt. You must have broken the spell before the last petal drops, or you shall be like this for always." She gave one last laugh and disappeared, with her laughter still ringing around the courtyard.

"I will never love again, I shall remain like this forever!" He growled, swiping a paw at the rose, but it simply moved out the way.


	2. Chapter One

She watched him prowling the castle. He kept to the shadows and managed to avoid the looks of all her servants. They knew he was there of course. But he didn't know they knew. She smiled. The plan was coming together. She waved her hand and the mirror cleared. Kairos leaned back in her throne in the tallest tower. This was just getting too easy.

Adam wandered the corridors, although wandered wasn't the right word as he was now walking on all fours in a... well a prowling motion. Every time somebody passed he pressed against the wall. They were servants he thought, they all had that scurrying motion of servants, not that he'd ever had any, neither of his parents were rich enough, they had cleared each other out on the divorce. He growled, that was not something he needed to be thinking about now. He had entered the castle because there was no other way off the courtyard. Unfortunately there was no other way out of the castle either. He was trapped, trapped in this castle, trapped in this form.

"Excuse me Sir?" Adam twirled round, and faced a nervous looking man.

"What?" He growled, the man stepped back, Adam paused, and said a little softer, "And my name is Adam, not Sir."

"Yes... well, in time I think you will prefer Sir," the man looked at his feet. "The Lady of the house would like to meet you for dinner."

"Her," Adam spat out, "Never."

Kairos's voice rang out in his head, "You don't have a choice," he felt a stabbing pain in his chest, so much he cried out.

"This way Sir," he reluctantly followed the servant.

Calla walked through the forest. It was late summer and the roses were in bloom. Every now and again she would find one. She glanced at her watch, late again. Her Gran wouldn't mind, her mother might though. She hurried back out of the dappled light and on to the road that led to the bus stop.

"Oi Calla!" She turned and saw her brother in his car, she ran over.

"Give us a lift?" He laughed and nodded, she climbed in and put her seat belt on.

"Late again?" Daniel said, speeding off down the road, "Mum'll go crazy, you know she always cooks on a Sunday."

"I know, I know!" Calla laughed, "If I had a car it would be fine."

"You're only 16!"

"Almost 17, I can start learning then, legally anyway," she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Don't tell Mum I taught you, she'd kill me! She doesn't know Dad taught me when I was 16."

Calla smiled, but it wasn't a true smile. The mention of her father was too hard to take, not so soon after his death.

"Calla, it's been six months now," Daniel said, reading her mind, she nodded and he sighed. They drove through the suburbs in silence. They pulled up to their semi-detached house and headed inside.

"I brought Daniel!" Calla shouted, smelling the air, trying to work out what her Mum was cooking.

Kairos laughed at Adam's pathetic attempts at eating civilly. "Don't mind on my account."

He glared at her with yellow eyes and began to tear at his meat with his teeth. She was sitting at the head of the table, he was placed at the other side. You could tell which was the head as the side she sat at was the only one with the throne-like chair. A servant entered and Adam watched as he whispered something to her. She waved him away and turned to Adam.

"I must go, but eat up, and somebody will show you to your room," she smiled and exited the room.

Adam growled. He didn't know what he had seen in her, barring the fact she was now in what he assumed was her natural form, and not that of a teenage girl. He must have been under her spell. That's what love gets you. But he hadn't been in love with her. He growled again, ignoring the voice of reason in his head.

Kairos was back in America, visiting an old acquaintance, one Mr Jack Smith. She sat on the sofa, waiting for him to arrive home. He came into the lounge and stepped back as he saw the familiar face on his sofa.

"You, get out of my house," she merely smiled as the phone began to ring. He picked it up, dreading that he knew exactly who it would be and what they would be saying. He listened for a few minutes, "I'll be over soon, I have some things I need to sort out first... of course I'm worried, but this is important."

He hung up and slowly turned to face the enchantress. "Was that your wife?" She said, feigning innocence.

"Ex-wife, as well you know, now where is my son!"

"I believe you already know the answer to that one," she laughed her cruel piercing laugh. "This is just so easy."


	3. Chapter Two

Adam sat looking at the rose. It glistened almost, in its glass container. All he had to do to break the curse was to get someone to fall in love with him. Easy, girls were always in love with him at school, moping after him... but he used his looks for that, now... well who knew what someone would think of him when he looked like this. Definitely not love. And then there was the other part, he had to fall in love too, he had only ever been in love with Kairos, and he had promised himself he would never love again. And he was stubborn enough to keep that promise to himself.

"Just let him go ok?"

"Now Jack, do you really think that's how it works? You think you have the..." She paused then spat "_power" _with contempt, "to get me to release your son?"

She stepped closer to the middle aged man. Her black hair began to whip around her face and her eyes grew to a cold icy blue. He stepped back involuntarily. "Please I didn't mean that..."

Kairos stepped back a sweet smile on her face, "See Jack, that's why we came up with the deal, because you are terrified of me, I kept my side and now it is your turn to keep yours!" And with another stifling breeze she was gone. Jack Smith sat on the sofa with his head in his hands.

"What have I done?"

"Calla darling, come and sit in here with us... Daniel could you give us a few minutes?" Calla walked into the kitchen to be greeted by her mother and Gran not cooking but sitting around the table.

"Sure..." Daniel said, walking out, looking as surprised as Calla felt. She sat down warily on one of the wooden chairs.

"Look, Mum, I'm sorry I was late but..."

"That isn't what this about darling," her Mum interrupted. She smiled fondly at Calla then glanced at her own mother.

"This is a lot more serious," Calla's Gran started, Calla's Mum placed her hand over her daughter's and stroked her red curls with the other, "this has been going on for generations..." her Gran continued.

Five minutes later Calla ran upstairs, tears streaming down her face. She began to throw clothes into an old rucksack. She didn't even look at what she was grabbing, she just chucked in the things nearest to hand. In five minutes her whole life had been torn apart, five short minutes and nothing she knew about herself or her family was true. Or that's how it felt now.

She grabbed her duffel coat, even though it was way to warm, and roughly pulled on her woolly hat, squashing her curls to her head and leaving the rest that trailed down her back to bulge against her coat.

"Calla-Rose! Wait, please," her Gran and Mum were waiting in the hall.

"No, I have to leave so I will, don't worry I'll go where you told me to, but don't expect me to break this curse, because I won't, because I promise you now, I shall never fall in love, I loved you, my family, and look how that turned out!" She shouted, and with that, leaving her mother in tears and her Gran looking sad she ran from her childhood house.

Kairos sat back against the velvet back of her throne. Never before had it gone so smoothly. Nothing was going to get in the way this time, this time she would complete her mission. She waved her hand and the mirror image of the pretty sixteen year old running down the street cleared. It was all too easy.


	4. Chapter Three

Calla was in the forest, but it was nothing like it had been earlier that day. Now it was dark and every shadow created by the moonlight triggered things in her imagination she was sure she'd left behind when she about ten. Noises made her jump, branches clung to her clothes. She even thought she heard wolves howling, which was impossible, they had been run out England decades ago, right?

The moonlight dappled through the trees, and what could have been a beautiful clearing in the daylight, was just another horror to add to Calla's list. She sat down next to an old tree, hugging her knees to her and gently banging her head on them.

"I won't cry, not now, not any more," but even though she tried, a single tear slid down her cheek and splashed onto the earth. A howl echoed through the trees.

"So Adam dearest, how are you on this fine morning?" Kairos glided into her chair at the table where they were both sitting to eat.

"Oh I'm just great, having a wail of a time," he said sarcastically, glaring down the long table at her.

"I'm so glad," she smiled and began to eat. After a few minutes she got up and began to walk out, "I'll be out for a while, feel free to make yourself at home, you'll be here a while," she laughed cruelly.

Adam swiped at the bowl, sending it smashing into a wall. That stupid bitch, he would show her. One day. Or he wouldn't, because he would never break this curse. He didn't know how he'd gotten himself into this, and he didn't know how to get out of it.

Calla woke up in the clearing and saw her prediction that with daylight it would be beautiful was correct. Red roses wound around the tree trunks and a golden light shone down to illuminate them. She sat up, and tried to push her red hair out of her face, but it was in a state that only a brush would fix. She rubbed her eyes and suddenly a tall woman was standing before her. She had flowing black hair and blue eyes that seemed familiar, she smiled sweetly at Calla.

"Hello, are you ok?" She asked.

Now Calla had been warned about this woman by her Grandmother, "Kairos right?"

Kairos stepped back, obviously a little shocked, but she soon regained her composure. "Your relatives broke the rule then..." She glared at a tree, then turned back to Calla, smiling again.

"Well, what did they about me?"

"You can drop the act, I know you're an evil enchantress, who put a curse on a poor family, and that we are the only one who can break it."

Kairos laughed, throwing her head back, "An evil enchantress... a poor family," she said between laughs, "Oh how amusingly romantic."

Calla stood up, and glowered at the beautiful woman, "Stop laughing, there is nothing funny about this situation! I have been forced away from my home."

"Yes I know, pity I didn't watch you sooner, but alas, we shall have to make do with the situation, at least it will make this time a little more interesting... what with you swearing never to love, I was afraid it would be too easy!"

Calla restrained the urge to stamp her foot. This woman was extremely annoying, but she could cope with it, she had made a promise, and one thing she always did was keep her promises. "Are you going to take me to him then?"

"Me?" Kairos smirked, "No, I think, since your relatives have thrown in this surprise for me, you can find your own way, just keep walking through the woods," and with a cackle of delight she vanished.

Calla screamed in annoyance. Then she took a deep breath, in and out. There was no point being annoyed or upset, this was what was happening to her, no matter how unlikely it seemed, and she needed to see it through. The best thing that could happen was that at the end she would wake up and find it was all a dream, like in The Wizard Of Oz. But somehow this seemed a little too real.

Adam prowled through the corridors, until he came to a staircase. It was narrow and a spiral, nothing like any of the other ornate parts of the castle. He glanced around, but no-one was there. He slipped up the staircase, he was moving quite fast on his four paws now, having had a bit of practise, and he soon reached the top of the tower. He nudged the wooden door open and it opened, not with the squeak of an unused door but a smooth swing. There was a throne in the middle of the circular room, with its back to him. One small window stood to the East. He crept around the outskirts of the room, feeling wary, this was obviously Kairos's room. In front of the throne was a large mirror with a silver and gold ornate rim, there were even sea shells stuck to it.

"How vain," he muttered, before noticing that the mirror showed, not his ugly reflection, but a smooth shimmering surface. Nothing in the room was reflected.

"Nice to see you Adam," he jumped and twirled around as fast as he could, to see Kairos sitting in her throne, examining her nails. "Like my mirror do you?"

"I..." He began to explain himself, but bit back the words, why did she deserve an explanation from him.

She waved her hand, dismissing anything he might have to say, "Now, you may want to make yourself a little more presentable," she smiled to herself, "We have a guest coming... someone you will, I'm sure, be glad to see."

He was extremely puzzled, but didn't want to stay in this witch's presence any longer. "Whatever," He growled, before running down the stairs, trying to block her cackling laughter from his mind.

Calla stumbled, for around the millionth time. The forest seemed to not want her to get to this mysterious castle, roots and branches kept appearing to block her way. But as she picked herself up, she realised she could see the end of the trees. Finally she was on the other side, she ran out into the sunlight. Really she was in an enormous clearing, because the trees simply circled round. Her eyes widened as she took in the castle. It was incredible, the stuff of fairy tales and myths, towering battlements and wide paned windows. She began to walk down the stone path that was now in front of her. It led her up to a large wooden door, she pulled the knocker and a _boom _echoed through the halls.

The door creaked open, revealing a small timid old man, "Ah... yes... you're erm, here then," he said nervously, ushering her inside, before closing the door behind her. "This way please, you are to have dinner with the new master."

She glanced behind her, trying to remember where the door was, but it had disappeared. She gasped, but the man just walked faster, leading her though a maze of corridors. Even if there was a door, she knew she would never remember the way.

"Here is your room... you might want to freshen up a little," he pointed to a little wooden door, and she stepped inside, "Someone will come for you when dinner is ready," she heard him say as he wandered off, but she was caught in the wonder of her room.

Opposite the door was a huge bay window with a cushioned window seat the whole way around the sill. To her right was an equally large four poster bed, with light blue covers and drapes, that matched the cushions on the window seat. On the left of the room was a wide mahogany desk, with old fashioned paper and ink all set up, not that she had anyone to write to. There was also a wardrobe and a full length gold mirror. And a door. She lifted the latch and walked into her bathroom. Candles were on all the surfaces, lighting the room. A bath was sunken into the floor, she walked over to it and saw it was big enough to swim in, the castle was obviously done in large. There was also a decorated sink and toilet on the opposite side.

"All my needs taken care of, looks like I shall never have to leave the room." Calla muttered, then she turned on the taps, water with a slightly bluish colour began to run out, she leaned closer and realised it was slightly perfumed. When it was full she got in, dunking her whole body under, trying to forget the journey here. She got out and wrapped an thick white towel around herself. Then she went to explore the wardrobe. Her jeans and top were definitely too dirty, and for some reason she wanted to make a good impression. She guessed she wanted to show Kairos that whatever she put her through, Calla could cope.

There were dresses of every hue hanging up. They were all the same style, a corset top with gold decoration, a flowing skirt and long sleeves with a point at the end. They were all the same velvety material and all had a matching cape. She twitched her nose, as she always did when deciding, and picked a blue dress, it seemed to match her room, and her skin tone. She wondered how Kairos had known this was her favourite colour, because she knew it was like this to taunt her. It had to be.

She changed, and used the vanity set in the bathroom to brush and style her hair in a simple braid, clipping back the shorter curls at the front. She felt as though she had stepped back in time, but if this was a dream, and she was still hoping it was, it wouldn't hurt to make a little more interesting by getting to act her favourite period. There was a knock on the door, and a young woman, in a maid's outfit opened it, waiting for her at the door.

"Dinner is served Ma'am."

Calla followed her through the winding halls and down a magnificent stairway. Then she gestured to a double doorway, then curtsied and walked away. Calla raised an eyebrow, but opened the door. Again, opposite the door was a wide window, the height of the room. There was also a long dining table, with a throne at one end. At the other sat... she couldn't quite describe it. It was some sort of animal, she knew from her Grandmother's description that this was a cursed boy... but still, his shaggy fur and hunched back was all she could see now, but she knew what kind of atmosphere was shrouding him. He turned and she struggled not to step back, his eyes glowed yellow and his jaws, so like a wolf, were full of sharp fangs.

"It's ok, you can look horrified, I understand," he said, with a slight growl.

"No, I... it was just a shock," she walked forward and sat herself at the place to his left, the only other one that was laid. "Are we being joined?"

"I don't know... she just turns up," he said, not looking at her.

"Oh," she said quietly, also looking down and staring intently at her plate. She looked up, "I'm Calla, by the way."

"Right... I'm..." he hesitated, "Beast."

"No, what is..."

"That is all I am now," he interrupted, "what I was before doesn't mater," he said firmly.

"Ok..." After a minute of silence she added, "I'm sorry that I can't..."

"No, neither can I," he interrupted her again.


	5. Chapter Four

_August, 1655_

She had always had... _special_ talents. She had a special way with animals, and people often liked her instantly upon meeting her. But she had never told anyone about them, not her younger sister, and especially not her father. Her mother had died giving birth to her younger sister, Beauty, and she had always wondered what it would have been like to have known her. Would her mother have been someone to confide in, would she be as strict and distant as her father, or would she have been as... stupid as her sister.

She sighed as she lay on her simple bed, waiting for the sun to rise so she could start her chores. Beauty wasn't stupid, exactly, she was just different. She liked different things, boys for one, and clothes and jewellery interested her a lot more than they did her older sister. Not that they could afford much of either, so Beauty contented herself with toying with the village's boys. As her nickname implied, she was indeed a beauty, with ruby red hair, emerald green eyes, and opal skin that shone like the presents she persuaded local suitors to buy for her.

Beauty's older sister got up and dressed in her drab grey dress. She no longer wanted to stay in bed, thinking these jealous thoughts; she needed to be up and busy. Perhaps if she finished her chores early she could practise. Whenever she could, she tried to escape to the furthest field from the village to use her talents. Some days, when she was feeling particularly energised, she could do amazing things. She could make flowers bloom early, especially roses, which were a favourite of hers. She had once forced the stream to change direction and break into two, creating a small island in the middle, on which she placed her rose.

"Morning, Da'," she said, kissing her father on the cheek as he shuffled past. He simply grunted and walked past her. Neighbours always told her stories about the brilliant man he had once been, but that was before her mother's death. She walked into the kitchen to begin cleaning. Her sister was still asleep of course.

That afternoon she was walking in the village, getting bread for supper, when she saw him. Patrick. He was in the bakery, talking to the baker. He had shoulder length black hair that had a slight wave, and his green eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement. Patrick was one of the handsomest men she had ever seen, in fact he was the handsomest man she'd ever seen. He was a few inches taller than her and had broad shoulders. She stood quietly as he recited his mother's orders for a big party they were throwing.

"I wish my mother wouldn't always make me take these lists. But she doesn't trust the servants!" He laughed, and the baker joined in, although in a way it was insulting. But no-one could be insulted by Patrick- he was too charming. To those who had given Beauty her nickname, he was known as Prince Charming. He was the only son of the Lord and Lady that lived in the big manor house. She knew him only from when she saw him in the village, and they never entered the village.

"Well, I'll have them done for tomorrow night Sir," the baker said.

"Thank you, and no need to call me Sir," Patrick said with a smile. He stepped back and almost knocked her over. He spun around to catch hold of her and flashed his winning smile. "Sorry about that miss! I'll be on my way then." He walked out of the shop with another smile, leaving her staring after him.

"What would you like, missy?" the baker asked, "I am busy, you know!"

She knew immediately that she had to get to that party, at the manor house. She had to see him again. Never before had he noticed her, but this time... this was it. She spent the rest of the evening, not practising, but making a dress, out of an old one of her mother's. Apart from Beauty's dresses it was the only piece of material that would do for such a thing. By the next evening she was finished. It was a light blue dress, made in a simple style, with one undercoat on the skirt, and a bodice top with a low cut back. Making sure her father was in his study, she ran out into the night.

She made it to the manor house, where there were still carriages arriving. She decided to sneak in the back. She picked through the gardens, ducking at all the windows, until she came to a set of steps, leading up to a mini-balcony, and a set of glass doors. She was about to start up the steps when she saw Patrick leaning on the rail, talking to someone. She pressed herself against the wall, her exposed back chilling at the touch of the stone. Directly above her, Patrick was leaning over the guard rail and staring at the star-sprinkled sky. This thought almost stopped her breath.

"Does the view please you?" he said.

Someone replied, but the person was just a little too far away to be heard.

"Indeed," he chuckled to himself. "Come here then, and take a better look."

She held her breath as she heard footsteps. She knew that it was a female approaching by the sound of the _click click_ on the stone. "Patrick, it is wonderful." She recognised that voice.

"Not as wonderful as you, Beauty." A stab of pain went through her chest, and she found she couldn't breathe Her breath came in gasps as some invisible knife stabbed her again and again. Her heart was breaking. Everything was quiet above, and she knew they would not see her as she dashed, like a wraith, through the gardens and into the neighbouring woods.

Trees tore at her as she ran. Her dress ripped. She stopped at the river and the pain was still there. Below her the rapids were frothing noisily as she stood on the steep, mossy bank. Crashing into the rocks that had withstood the battering for so long, the water had the force of her attacker that night. Except there was no attacker, it was her heart, cracking in two, on its own.

Her raven hair whipped around her, mimicking the turbulent water, and her ripped dress flew all around her in the wind that had been suddenly conjured. She could no longer bear the pain. She jumped into the rapids.

Everything was dark. Not the dim darkness where you could still see shadows of what was around you. This was true darkness, where there was no light anywhere, because it had simply never existed.

"Do you want payback?" a voice that boomed and whispered at the same time rang out.

"No, I just..."

"Why are you here then?" The voice also had echoes, she noticed.

"I don't know." She paused, "I don't want revenge, but she isn't worthy of him."

"I see." The voice also paused. "I can help you to let him see what she is really like. What her true nature is."

"You can?" She still tried to peer into the darkness, trying to see this mysterious person, "How?"

"You have powers, but they are not strong enough. I could lend you some more... in exchange for something."

"You could? That would be... in exchange for what?"

"That does not matter now. What matters now is that you agree to let me help you."

"I..." What was going on? Should she agree? Was it a sin to wish ill against your own sister? She already knew the answer to that, but tried not to think of God's wrath. "I agree." At once she felt her body being pulled, and colours streamed past her eyes. Her body began to shake, like she was having a fit. And then everything was black again.

She awoke in a bed. It was a four-poster bed, in a light blue room. Everything about the room was light blue: the cushions on the window seat, the quilt and blanket on the bed were all the same shade. Her favourite colour. She sat up, bringing on a pain in her head. At first she wondered where she was, but then she saw who was sitting in the chair next to her. Patrick.

"You're awake then are you?" He smiled amiably. "You gave everyone a scare. How do you feel?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but instead of her words, the voice rang out of her mouth. "You fall for someone based on looks, you realise nothing of personality, nor of real love. For this, I curse you... now let us see what your beloved thinks of you, and whether she will still love you." As she, or the voice, spoke, Patrick began to change. His body began to mutate, and fur burst from his skin. He began to scream, a gut-wrenching scream of pure pain, over and over. She began to scream too. This wasn't what she had meant, this wasn't what she'd wanted.

Suddenly he flopped to the floor, barely breathing. She got up and bent over his still body. She wept for him then, as she had done many a night. Then she was flying across the room. She slammed hard into the wall. He was standing now, panting heavily, he turned to her, teeth bared.

"Don't touch me... you witch!" he growled.

She tried to protest, to tell him no, but the voice rang out. "I am no witch, I am an enchantress. You crossed me, now pay the price. This curse is indefinite, unless you can get someone to fall in love with you, and you love them in return. Before the last petal on this rose falls." Her arm waved involuntarily and a red rose appeared, glistening slightly.

"Well, that is no problem, I love Beauty already, and she loves me," Patrick spat out.

This time it was her own voice that said, "If that's true, why isn't the curse broken?"


	6. Chapter Five

"Get out now!" roared Patrick, or what was left of him. She ran from the room, before he could hit her again. Tears rolled down her face before she could stop them. What had she done, why had she agreed?

"Beauty!" she screamed as she entered her cottage. "Patrick needs you! Please, go to his house, now!" she broke down in sobs as her sister peered at her curiously. "Just go!"

Beauty frowned, but walked out of the cottage, leaving her lying on her bed clutching her pillow.

Suddenly another scream echoed through the house. She realised she must have fallen asleep, and Beauty was now back, crystal tears falling from her emerald eyes. "What did you do? You witch!"

"I..."

Beauty stared at her older sister. "That monster! Are you trying to kill me? It could have killed me!"

"That was Patrick! And you can break the curse! You love him, don't you?"

"_Love?_" Beauty laughed haughtily. "I don't love him... I have never loved anyone... not even you! It is a pointless emotion."

"I knew it! You aren't worthy of him!"

"That's why you did this? You are just jealous, as you always have been, jealous of me." Beauty glared at her, daring her to say something back and anger fumed in the air.

She flung her hands at Beauty and the roil of anger went flying at her younger sister. Beauty gasped and her eyes widened. She clutched at her throat and slid against the wall onto the floor. Her older sister watched as her Beauty's face took on a blueish tinge, as the younger girl gasped for air. Then Beauty was silent.

Blackness filled the enchantress' vision and she was back to where she had first heard the voice.

"You have more power than I expected..." the echoes murmured.

"I no longer want a part of this... please just let me go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, because we had a deal."

"I... I have nothing to give you," she wished she could cry. What else was there for the voice to take?

"Really? I beg to differ."

"What?" she asked numbly.

"Your soul," the voice stated simply, causing her to gasp. Then she pulled herself together and forced herself to be brave. What else was there to live for? She thought miserably.

"Kill me then!"

"Oh no... nothing as simple as that. I want your soul for eternity and I shall have it, because that was the deal we made."

"I made no such deal." She tried to keep her voice strong, but couldn't help it wavering.

"Not that it is worth as much now... not after what you did to your sister, but I shall take anything I can get. There is, as there always must be, one way to release yourself from this bond."

"H... how?" she stuttered.

"I need thirteen souls... just thirteen. Now you are number one, but... if you help me to collect thirteen others, then I will release you."

She closed her eyes, visions of Beauty in front of them. "I won't kill anyone."

"I am not asking you to. All I need you to do is curse each descendant of Patrick. Simply make them each a bargain: you will break the curse if they promise their sons in place of themselves. They will all agree I'm sure... you can persuade them! If you do this for thirteen generations, then I will have my thirteen souls and you can be free."

"I... I don't know if I can do that," she had loved Patrick... but Beauty was right, love was a pointless emotion.

"Of course you can. It is very simple!" The voice was growing angry now. "Do you want me to own your soul?"

She paused. "No... alright... I'll do it."

"Good," the voice sneered, and suddenly she was back in Patrick's gardens. She hurried into the house, the voices words repeating in her head. "You will break the curse if they promise their sons place in theirs."

She could hear the sound of destruction as she neared Patrick's room. Glass was shattering and material was being ripped. She stepped into the room, and saw that everything was in tatters. Paintings had great claw marks through them, the bed sheets had been ripped off, mirrors were smashed and Patrick was still roaring and throwing himself around the room, trying to hit the rose.

"I don't care if I never break the curse... Oh break you wretched thing!"

"I can break it... or rather reverse it," she said quietly.

"You can?" He whirled around. "You! Of course you can- you put it on me!"

"Yes... and I can break it." She paused. "I once loved you, you know? But you broke my heart." She gave a small laugh. "It's strange... that was only last night, and yet now... I feel as if I have no heart to break..." She cleared her throat as Patrick stared at her, unbelieving. "But I can break your curse, in return for one thing."

"What? I'll give you anything!" he said eagerly.

"Good. Then I will break the curse. All it takes is first born son. Promise that he will take your place."

Patrick hesitated. He didn't have a child. He might never have a son to take his place. Therefore, by promising, he wasn't doing anything wrong to anybody. It didn't seem right, but neither did he want to stay like this forever. "I... I agree," he said.

"Good," the voice answered, and once again, Patrick began to change, this time back into his former handsome self. But now Kairos felt nothing. Her heart was broken, never to be mended. She had given it away just as she had done her soul.

But Patrick eventually did have a son, and in turn he had a son, and so on for thirteen generations. And each time the enchantress would turn him into a Beast, and get him to pledge his son in his place. But there were two things neither Kairos nor the voice had counted on. Because of the "get out" clause, it was always possible for the Beast to break the curse himself, however unlikely. And the other thing was that Beauty wasn't dead. Her father found her and managed to revive her, and though neither she nor Patrick talked about what had happened that day, they were both linked, as were their sons and daughters. For you see, dear reader, Beauty also had a daughter, and she in turn had a daughter, and so on for thirteen generations.

And these two, tied by their ancestor's mistakes, would always meet, just before Kairos broke them up, and sent them on their separate ways. For never did they manage to break the curse, at least not before the curse was passed on to the next generation. So they would marry someone else, and always have their respective son or daughter, but never would they forget the curse, or their first love. And this is how Adam and Calla come into our story. For they are the thirteenth generation, Adam the last soul needed, Calla the last person who can break the curse.


	7. Chapter Six

_Present Day_

Kairos, the enchantress, sat in her tower watching her latest Beauty and Beast. Her mirror could show her anything, past or present. It couldn't show her the future though, but that was no problem as she knew exactly how this would turn out; she had done it enough times. She never used to let them get close to each other- she would do as she did with Patrick, make them the offer straight away. But lately, well, speaking in terms of generations, she had begun to grow bored at how simple it was. She had decided to make it more difficult for herself, more of a challenge. So, for the past few generations, she would even let them live together and fall ever so close to love... and then she would strike, splitting them up for good and getting another soul for her master's wishes. She said master, although she still wasn't sure whether the voice was male or female, or even if it was human. Every time she made the deal she would return to the place where there was no light, and discuss her triumph with the voice. Then she would leave and it would be the next generation already. Occasionally, while there, she could hear whispered voices that sounded extremely familiar... but she tried not to think of that.

She flicked her hand and her mirror changed its scene. Now it showed, not Adam and Calla, but Patrick, as he had been before the curse. She smiled. He had been very good looking but, she had been a fool to fall for that quality alone. It was his fault she was stuck here. But soon, tantalisingly soon, she would be free.

Then Kairos noticed something in Patrick's laughing face. His eyes. They were shining and merry. But there was something else. Patrick had the darkest black hair, and Adam had such bright hair... but their eyes were almost identical. The same emerald colour, the same expressions. How could it be, thirteen generations down the line, that those eyes would come up again?

Adam and Calla were sitting in silence, eating breakfast. Each had had equally disturbed nights, although for different reasons. For Adam, it was impossible for him to be comfortable in his new form; he didn't know where to lie. He had finally gotten to sleep after he rolled out of bed and onto the floor. The bare flagstones were strangely comforting to the aches that continued to course through his entire body.

Calla on the other hand, had been plagued with nightmares. She saw her grandmother, lying ill in bed, and the rest of her family in their funeral wear. She also saw her father. He was sitting on the window seat of her room at the castle, looking out at the moonlight. Then he turned to look at her, and shook his head, disapprovingly. Then he began to grow fainter and fainter until she woke up, screaming for him.

That morning she had dressed in another blue dress. This one was lighter than the one she had worn yesterday, almost grey, and was more like the colour of her eyes. Her eyes had always been the colour of a winter sky, a cold blue, but her expression was what made anyone who saw them know that Calla herself wasn't cold. This was what made her eyes differ from Kairos', although the colours were nearly exactly the same. Her ruby red curls had always been the butt of jokes in her school, but they seemed to suit the style of the dresses, and the period of time that the castle seemed to be stuck in.

"Beast... what are you doing today?" She surprised herself by taking completely to this boy's chosen name. She had thought to probe him more, to try to find out what he was like before the curse, but she understood why he wanted the secrecy.

"I don't know," Adam snapped. He instantly regretted it, but he couldn't take it back, so there was nothing he could do. Calla glared at him, then pushed her chair back.

"Fine." she said, flouncing out of the room and slamming the door behind her, leaving a resonating bang.

Adam sighed. He always got treated like that. Just because he didn't see the point in apologising, people always assumed he was extremely rude. He wasn't, but in his family no-one ever apologised- there was no point, you would just do something wrong again. He had grown up around parents who were constantly fighting, then making up passionately. His dad was always away, with his lady friends according to his mother. It was only when Adam was sixteen that they had decided to finally get divorced. He had been pleased. Anyone could see they weren't suited, and at least there wouldn't be so many arguments.

But that was his old life. He was no longer Adam Smith, a seventeen-year-old senior, the most popular guy in school. Now he was a monster, now he was Beast. Calla had easily accepted him as such, and he decided then to do the same, to think of himself as Beast, and never as Adam.

Calla stormed from the room. "How dare he!" she thought. She had given up everything to come here and he was rude and well... beastly to her. She strode along the corridor of the castle, waves of anger roiling off her, sending the few servants she passed scurrying into alcoves.

Then she stopped suddenly. She realised she hadn't given up everything at all- because there wasn't anything _to _give up. She had no friends at school, and certainly never a boyfriend. She had always thought the people in her classes trivial and a bit stupid, and they had thought her weird. As for her family, except maybe Daniel, she wouldn't miss any of them. Her dad was gone- the one person in the world she had been close to, and her mum and grandmother, well they had lived a lie and forced her to do the same. It was their fault she was here.

She carried on walking, slightly slower but still just as angry- although now it was at her mother and Gran, not Beast. Calla had just realised what this curse really meant. It meant her Gran wasn't meant for her granddad, but worse than that- her mum wasn't meant for her dad. The only love she had ever thought was real had been proven to be totally fake. Calla believed in soul mates, she believed that everybody had one true love- perhaps she had read too many Fairy Tales when she was younger. So if it had been fate for her mother to fall for the previous Beast, her mum couldn't have loved her dad. She wasn't angry now, she was sad. Her dad had died thinking he was loved and he wasn't. His memory was tarnished and Calla's childhood memories were ruined and stained. She pause at a small arched double door, peering closely at the engravings- but that wasn't what she was seeing.

"Calla-Rose! Dinner time!" her mother's voice floated up the stairs.

"Call Daniel too!" a stubborn five-year-old shouted back

"Daniel's at the cinema with his friend," her mother said, sighing.

Calla stamped her foot and glared out the window at the old oak tree in the garden. "I want to go to the cinema, it isn't fair," she wailed.

"Next time you can go. Why don't you ask Daddy to take you to the new Disney one?"

Calla grinned and ran down the stairs. She hadn't realised her daddy was back from work. She quickly slid into the seat at the the kitchen table and began to eat her mashed potatoes to please him. Maybe then he would take her to the cinema tomorrow.

David smiled at his daughter. "I think our Calla's grown, Annabel."

"You saw me this morning!" Calla pouted.

Annabel pushed her ruby red curls (a family trait) behind her ears as she sat down and began to eat. "I can't believe how busy I've been, organising Daniel's birthday party. It used to be so much easier when I could just get a few games of pass the parcel going!" she sighed, "now he has to spend all his money at the arcades, as well as going bowling or to Lazer Quest."

David laughed, and eventually Annabel joined in. Calla laughed too, although she wasn't sure what her parents were laughing about.

When they had finished eating Calla watched her parents doing the washing-up together, working perfectly co-ordinated as a team. She watched as David used the tea towel to pull Annabel close to him and give her a slobbery kiss. It was yucky but she smiled anyway and left them to get on with their own devices.

The sixteen-year-old Calla shook her head, trying to clear the memories that were interminably rushing through her mind. She pushed open the doors and found herself in a beautiful courtyard bordered by an ugly towering wall that was covered in ivy.

Calla was walking around the outside courtyard when Beast loped up to her. She thought he might apologise, but he simply slumped on the path, looking up at the sky. She raised an eyebrow, but sat on the bench next to him.

"Comfortable?" she asked scathingly.

"Quite," he quipped.

She sighed, shaking her head. What an idiot this guy was, so smug. She almost thought he deserved his fate. She looked at the fountain as it tinkled. The sun made the green-tinged water sparkle, and the pearly white of the stone made the fountain seem even brighter. It was strange: the castle was surrounded by these dark walls, covered in ivy, or so it seemed from this courtyard. But the castle itself was bright, and gleamed with beauty in every way. It seemed so unlikely that the architect would have ruined it with the dark walls. Unless of course they had been added later. She wanted to go and look at them, to check the bricks, but she felt too comfortable to move. She would have easily been able to tell, as her father had been an architect, and he had taught Calla a few things.

She sighed again at the thought of her father. She had been so close to him, and he had been taken so quickly, with no chance to say even say goodbye. Her eyes began to sting and she felt a single tear trail slowly down her cheek.

Beast looked up as Calla sighed again. It was pretty annoying, he was enjoying himself, looking up at the sky and listening to the fountain. Then he saw she was crying.

"Calla?" he asked tentatively, "Are you ok?"

"Just... Leave me alone... I don't want to talk about it... especially not to you."

"Fine." he growled, annoyed that the one time he had tried to be friendly, she had spat it back at him.

"Getting along nicely then are you?" a new voice asked.

Beast growled again. He might have known he couldn't be happy for long, not when that witch was around.

Kairos laughed as the pair glared at her. "Oh, am I interrupting? I am so sorry. I just thought I would tell you I am leaving you again... there is some business I must attend to." She gave them a jaunty wave then disappeared.

"I hate her... I could kill her," Beast muttered, unable to stop from snarling.

"I'll second that," Calla added quietly. Then she wiped her face with the back of her hand and, sniffling slightly, stood up. "I'm going to explore. Are you coming or not?" She sounded so unassuming, as if she didn't care whether he joined her or not, that he got lazily up.

"'Suppose so."

They entered the castle again and began to walk along the corridor. Well Calla walked, while Beast prowled on four paws, which was easier for him than walking as he had used to.

"This may seem rude but... I don't quite understand, why are you even here?" Beast said, looking surprisingly puzzled. "I'm here because I have no choice. But you?"

"I..." it was an odd question, Calla thought, "My mum told me about the curse, how our families were tied and how I was the person fated to break the curse."

Beast wasn't sure what she meant about their families being tied, nor how fate came into this curse, "I'm not sure I understand... but you came because you think you are the only person who can break this curse?"

"Yes. I would have felt guilty if I hadn't came," Calla said, nodding.

"But you swore not to love, and therefore not to break the curse?"

"Yes," Calla said again, only this time a little more uncertainly.

"And that actually makes sense to you?" Calla could see him metaphorically raising an eyebrow as he looked at her, then he carried on walking, leaving her standing. It didn't make any sense at all. Shaking her head she carried on after him until she saw a spiral staircase.

"Hey Beast, how about exploring up here?" She said, starting up the stairs.


	8. Chapter Seven

A/N Because of the brilliant review reply thingy, I can start writign straight away! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Up there?" Beast hesitated. That was Kairos' tower. The one with the mirror.

"You're not scared are you?" Calla teased, having seemingly forgotten Beast's previous comments, and also it seemed, his horrendous appearance. She had a sly grin on her face, knowing that her teasing would instantly persuade him to join her on the staircase. And of course he couldn't refuse.

"Fine," he grumbled, trying hard not to grin too. He knew from looking in the mirror placed hauntingly in his room that this made his features seem all the more terrifying. Not that Calla seemed to mind.

He followed the girl with ruby red curls up the twisting, turning staircase. She was quite sweet. If he hadn't been... so... if he hadn't been Beast he would definitely have made a move on her by now. But he was Beast. That was the whole point!

"Wow," Calla breathed as she reached the top. The room was astounding, following the beauty of the rest of the castle, but with a much more flamboyant turn.

"Yeah," Beast mumbled. He was reminded of the last time he had been up here, when Kairos had managed to make a fool out of him, like she did whenever they met. He growled involuntarily and Calla turned with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh la la, what's rubbed your fur up the wrong way?" she said sarcastically.

"Nothing, I just... Oh never mind!" He sighed and turned to the window, pondering his revenge on Kairos. Revenge he knew he could never take, but nonetheless it was pleasurable to plot.

Calla still had a raised eyebrow. Whatever was bothering Beast, he obviously wasn't going to tell her, so she turned away and began to look around the room more closely. The thing she noticed first was, of course, the throne. But somehow, however beautiful it was, it didn't hold her interest. Neither did the ornate mirror. What she noticed next made her wonder, so she walked closer to it.

It was a a large piece of what seemed to be parchment, so old-looking it was brown and curling at the edges. It was hung on the wall, and had curly script written on it, and as she got closer, Calla realised the words formed two family trees. With a gasp she realised what this must be. She moved closer.

She began looking at the bottom. Next to each other, but separated with a gap, was her name and... she glanced at the name next to hers: Adam Smith. That must be Beast. She was tempted to mention it, but remembered why he wanted to keep enigmatic. Each female name on her tree was in bold, as were the male names on Adam's, or Beast's, tree. In smaller writing next to each one was the name of the person they had married, and also any siblings they had. And each name in bold above her and Adam's had a stroke through it, obvious symbolism if ever there was any.

There was something similar about all of her female family members' names, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Then it hit her: her mother had always told her that her name meant beauty, in Greek (which is where her father's family descended from) and her mother's name meant grace and beauty. That was the key: every single female ancestor of hers had a name that, somewhere in the meaning, meant beauty. And right at the top was Beauty Fortner. How strange.

But even stranger was the line that linked horizontally off from Beauty, off to the left, where as the beginning of Adam's tree, beginning with Patrick Smith was to the right. There, on the left, was the name Kairos. Calla gasped again. Surely not, surely this Kairos wasn't...

"What's up?" Beast said, coming over to where she was standing. He looked at the parchment and immediately noticed his old name. But Calla didn't seem to have noticed it. Then he saw where she was looking. "Kairos? No way!"

"I... I need to explain some things," Calla said. "I don't think you know the full story of your curse, actually neither do I, but my mother and grandmother told me some... interesting things. Maybe when you know them you can help me to tie in this bit of," she paused, searching again for the right word, "information."

Beast nodded, his shaggy fur waving gently as a breeze came in from the window. He shuddered involuntarily. "Let's do this somewhere else though. This place freaks me out a little."

Calla nodded. "I know what you mean!" She smiled, and she gently took the parchment from the wall, rolling it up gently. Then they both headed downstairs.

"My room," Beast said gruffly. He didn't mean to be rude, but he was worried. What if Calla had seen his name, and what if she tried to find out more about the old him? He wanted to forget that part of him, because he knew, no matter what new information Calla had, he wasn't getting out of here.

Calla noticed the gruff tones, but didn't mention it. She hated being the one in this position, being guilt tripped here, but she would hate being in Adam's place even more. She bit her lip. Beast's place, she had to remember that, she had to at least give him one of his wishes. She sighed as she realised that what she was going to tell him was definitely not going to make him feel better.

They walked along numerous corridors, and miraculously Beast knew his way. Last night, Calla had had to ask a servant the right way to her room. She wondered how he knew his way already. It was actually one of the things Adam had always been able to do naturally, along with drawing. He could always find his way, it was just a knack.

Finally Beast loped up to a wooden door. Calla noticed it was wider than hers, but it was also smaller and she had to duck to walk in.

Just as the main feature in her room was the mirror, in Beast's it was a mirror. Nearly the whole wall in front of them was covered by the golden framed mirror, a continuous taunt to Adam of what he now was, Beast. Calla paused as she took in the odd scene it reflected. A young girl with pearly white skin and red curls wearing a pale blue, 17th century dress stood next to a hideous beast. His yellow eyes were staring at her, whereas she was looking straight out of the mirror, straight at Calla. It was odd, her brain knew it was her, but Calla didn't recognise herself. She hadn't changed in the last few days, not physically anyway. Was it possible that the person she was inside was reflected in the mirror?

She shrugged and tried to stop her mind from thinking these confusing thoughts. It wasn't possible, but then neither was anything that was happening to her or to Beast.

Beast jumped on the bed and lay there. He looked like a big dog, well more like a big wolf, in that position, but as his yellow eyes looked up at her she could see the human that was trapped inside the beast. And almost, she could see a green tinge in his eyes, a blonde sheen to his fur, but she blinked and it was gone.

She sat on the bed next to him. It was strange how she wasn't afraid of him. She never had been. It had been shocking to first see him, but now, barely 24 hours later, she was used to him.

They both lay against the grey bedspread, both thinking their own thoughts about the other and the world they had been thrown into.

Beast respected Calla. She sat here next to him, even though he knew how hideous he looked. The mirror showed him a constant reminder of that. And he had no shame in admitting that he wouldn't do the same. There was no way. No amount of guilt would make him come to a castle just to spend time with someone who was doomed, someone he had never known. Yet, it seemed to him, that perhaps they had met before. Did she recognise him as he recognised her? No, that was silly, he wasn't even in his human form. But, it wasn't as though he remembered actually meeting her, it was just a sense of deja vu, as though they had met in a dream once, years ago.

"I never knew about any of this, until the day before yesterday," Calla began. "I thought I was normal, I thought my family was normal. I thought a lot of things." She sighed. "My dad died six months ago, in a car crash -he was coming to pick me up, and sometimes, hell, all of the time I feel racked with guilt. And then my mum and Gran told me about the curse."

"They told you about me?" He thought it better not to talk about her dad; he wasn't good at feelings.

She nodded. "Yes, they told me that there was a cursed boy in a castle -that I was the only one who could break the curse."

"She didn't tell me that guideline," he muttered.

"The curse itself isn't tied to just me, but there is a spell around the castle. It flows through the forest itself, and no one can pass it. Just people with my blood."

"Why you?"

"I don't know, neither did my mum or Gran, but..." she glanced at the rolled up parchment, "perhaps this can give us a clue."

"How did your Mom and Gran know?" Beast asked, and she noticed his American accent. He was still confused, but he felt like he was close to the centre of the maze. A few more turns and he would reach the middle and then he would know. Know what? The way to break the curse? The way to kill Kairos? He didn't know what the knowledge could lead to, but he knew that he and Calla both had pieces of the map, even if they were locked away in their subconscious minds.

"Because they were here too. They found their way here, and they tried to break the curse, they didn't know about it to begin with, but Kairos told them after. But somehow... I don't know how, the curse moved on to the next generation."

"So, it wasn't me who brought this on... I..." Beast didn't know what to think. He had never been close to his father but to know it was his dad's fault that he was here... "That bastard."

"It's not your father's fault either," Calla said, reading his mind with an insigtfullness that shocked him. "This has been going on for years. Generations my Gran said, although how many, only this can tell." She began to unroll the parchment, laying it gently on the bed.

Beast didn't know who to be angry at. Right now it was his dad. All he knew was that he needed to stay angry, stay hating. He needed to feel something. Anger and hate are the most animal emotions, but ironically they were the only things that stopped him from sinking fully into the Beast. Three days he had been here, and already three petals had dropped from the rose, and as each one fell he felt more and more like giving up, giving in to the animal instinct that haunted the back of his mind.

Calla pointed to the parchment, drawing him out of his reverie. "There's us." Beast glanced down.

Adam Smith. It stuck out from the paper as though it was written in flamingo pink.

"Don't worry," Calla said, "I understand. You can forget that part of you, if you want. For now anyway."

"Thanks," he said gruffly.

She traced the lines up, her lips moving as she counted the names. "Thirteen. We're the thirteenth generation, how... apt."

"Yeah..." It was daunting. If the past twelve generations couldn't break the curse, how could they? But then they had something over all the others. They both knew about the curse and how to break it. But... they had sworn never to do the only thing that could break it. They had both sworn never to love.

Calla looked at Beast. She knew what he must be thinking because it was the same thing she herself was thinking.

"I... I'm willing to try. To try and break it," she said, humbly. Her conscience was too strong. She couldn't live with herself if she didn't even try.

He gave what she thought was a smile of sorts. "Thanks, but it's ok. For all we know it could be a trick. You don't want to be stuck with a hideous monster all your life!"

"I'm stuck with you anyway," she said, nudging him playfully. It was easier to joke about it.

"You can't force yourself to love anyway. And I don't know about you, but I'm stubborn. I swore and I can't break an oath to myself."

She laughed. "Me too. We're too stubborn for our own good." She gave a small smile. "We'll just have to find another way to break the curse then," she added determinedly.

"You are too good for your own good!"

"Thank you. Now, I think the key is here, the first generation." She pointed to the top row of the family trees. "Patrick Smith, your great great, throw in some more greats, grandfather. He was the first Beast."

"And your great great great etc., grandmother was Beauty." He paused and gave what sounded like either a chuckle or a growl. Calla assumed it was the first. "Beauty and the Beast. Has a sort of ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Let's write a book, or make a film, about it!" Calla joked. "But anyway, look: Beauty Fortner, and Kairos Fortner."

"But they can't be... sisters? Kairos cursed her own sister?" Beast said, shocked.

Calla nodded. "I think so. I also think it was her younger sister. Look at the siblings: there's my older brother, Daniel, my mum had an older brother, my Gran had an older sister."

"The second child is always a girl." Beast nodded confirmation that he understood her train of thought.

"Not only that, but the girl is always Beauty. The meaning of her name always has Beauty in it." She gasped. "My hair. We all have red curls."

Beast gave a curious look.

"Well," she continued, "I do, my mum does, my Grandmother does. They always said it was a family trait."

"You..." He looked at her closely and noticed something he never had before. "They were definitely sisters."

"What makes you so sure?" Calla said, frowning.

"You have Kairos's eyes."

A/N Oh, look at that mini-cliffhanger! Lol, well by my standards it is mini, would you like more of those? Or not? Let me know in your many reviews!


	9. Chapter Eight

A/N Hey, sorry this update took a little while, I've had it ready, but it had to be beta'd then I was away and you know how it goes! But considering I have my GCSEs I'm being pretty good with the updates don't you think!

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"My eyes aren't like hers!" Calla said, jumping up from the bed and standing, looking aghast.

"Calla, I didn't mean-" he tried to explain, but she interrupted him.

"I am not like her, nothing like her! My family was cursed by an evil enchantress and I am nothing like her!" She screamed then, a long heartfelt scream. Tears began to burn her cheeks, stinging her eyes. She fell to the floor, weeping uncontrollably. Beast watched as her body shook. Her head was tucked in her arms and her red curls covered her face.

"I'm sorry, Calla," he said, saying the words for what felt like the first time. He knew he meant them, because he was truly sorry. It was his fault she was here, that she had to go through all of this. Guilt began to crush him, and he began to be able to feel what she felt. Empathy was a powerful thing.

Calla felt a weight lift from her. The tears stopped and the overwhelming sense of forlornness lifted. She sat up, brushing her curls away from her face so they didn't stick to her now tear-stained cheeks. She looked up at Beast. He lay on the bed, gazing at her. His eyes were filled with pain.

"Beast?"

"I don't know what happened..."

"Me either. I just felt unbearably... and then you said... and now..." She paused once more, still not knowing what could have happened. "I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have overreacted, I don't know why I did. I think Kairos was Beauty's sister too... she was, she is, related to me."

"I think we should put this back, you don't know when she might get back." His voice held the forlornness that she had felt just moments before.

"I'll take it. You... rest or something."

She took the parchment and carefully rolled it up again. Then she walked back along the corridors, hoping she could find her way back to Kairos' tower. She knew there must be a reason, a story behind the curse. And somehow, she and Adam needed to find it out. That was the only way they could save him now.

She turned a corner and there was the staircase. She climbed it quickly and peeked inside. The ornate room was empty. Calla stepped inside. She quickly and carefully hung the parchment back in its rightful place. Then she sighed and leaned against the stone wall. She heard a creek and glanced, startled, at the door. But it hadn't moved. Instead, the mirror had swung off the wall, revealing another room behind it. Some people in her position might have run away, but Calla didn't run. It wasn't in her nature, as you might have been able to tell. No, if something odd happened to her she explored it, and this new room was no different. She walked through the wall into the secret room.

It was a library, or something like it. Shelves upon shelves were filled with old, dusty, leather-bound books. But none of these were by authors Calla had ever heard of. She felt the air was heavier in here and she wondered if, perhaps, this was where Kairos performed magic. By the looks of the titles, each one grimmer than the previous one, it seemed to be a correct assumption. There was a dark blue book with gold, swirly writing that said; _Necromancy: Blood and Earth ties. _The next was a red book, with stains of darker red covering some of the title, she could still make it out however; Sacrifice_ Rituals Under The Crescent Moon: A lesser-known time of power._

She walked over to the wooden desk where there were numerous bottles of odd-coloured liquids. A single rose, not red but dark, dark purple, so dark it looked almost black, lay on the desk. She picked it up and breathed in the heavenly aroma it gave off. A sharp pain awoke her from the scent and she saw that a thorn had pricked her index finger.

Suddenly a book flew to her. Its cover was a dark green and there was no title or author to be found anywhere. She opened it, and found a page at random. The spell there shocked her. It seemed to be exactly what she had wanted. This spell could help, maybe. She quickly searched the room for the correct ingredients and, without thinking rationally, tucked them into the hidden pocket on her dress' skirt.

She clutched the book to her chest and quickly made her way out of the room, closing the mirror behind her. She didn't know what she was doing, but she felt it was right, like this was what she was meant to do. Whatever fate had planned for her now, she had decided to go along with it.

The mirror clicked back into place and she jumped as she saw herself reflected in its face. Her eyes were the same colour as Kairos's. She could see that now, as if they had been enlarged. The picture began to change, and the mirror now showed a young girl, a little older than her, with ruby red curls, the same shade as hers, emerald eyes and opal skin. Her instinct told her this was Beauty.

Another girl replaced this picture, one with raven hair and light blue eyes. It was Kairos. Now Calla could see that her eyes were not exactly like Kairos' were now, but more as they had been, perhaps before the curse. These eyes were her eyes, this girl, with an innocent smile. But the enchantress' eyes were colder and stonier, as if the emotion had been sucked from them.

The mirror image swam, and again it changed. This time it showed a young man with black hair and vivid green eyes. They were Adam's eyes, but she knew this wasn't Adam, this was Patrick. The first Beast. Somehow these three people tied together and formed a story, they formed a curse. Generations later, the curse would be broken. Calla knew this. Both she and Adam were too stubborn to let it go. How odd, that in all these images, the eyes were the first thing to stand out. Maybe they had been enlarged, or maybe it was the magic, working itself in some other way.

She heard a noise and turned around. Kairos was sitting on the throne. Calla quickly put the book behind her back, hoping the witch hadn't seen it. Although Kairos' body expression was relaxed, her eyes showed shock, and even a little worry.

"Calla darling. Having fun in my private room, are you?"

"I... was just-"

"Of course. Well, as pleasant as this was, you had better get ready for lunch, hadn't you?"

Calla didn't bother to say anything. It was obvious how angry Kairos was and she didn't want to add to that in any way. The curse proved how powerful Kairos was. Calla hurried from the tower room, being careful to keep the bottles upright and the book out of sight. It had proved useful, for once, that she had taken GCSE textiles: she knew all about pockets, and in this case, the ones that women used to put in the skirts of dresses before bags were invented. It was a subject she had picked because she had thought it would be fun. What a mistake. But there were instances when some facts she had learnt came in useful.

As she was walking down the corridor she wondered how long she would be here. For all she knew, given that she could never find the door, it could be eternity. It was early September, and she had just started her first year at the local Sixth Form College, doing AS-Levels. Would she miss so much time she would have to re-take the year? When she had run out of the house two days ago she had barely given a thought to anything, never mind her future.

She reached her room, mostly out of pure luck, and decided to put those thoughts to the back of her mind. Whatever might happen with her future, all she needed to think about right now was saving Adam. That was why she was here, and that was the only way she could leave. It was difficult to stop worrying though. The last year had been full of tears and stress, and to think it could all have been for nothing was extremely depressing. Both of her parents had wanted her to succeed, in whatever she wanted to do, and she didn't want to let them down. As she wasn't sure what she wanted to do, the only way to do that was to keep her options open by taking good A-Levels. If she was here for too long the college might not accept her back. It was all extremely worrying.

Kairos leant back in her chair, staring at the blank mirror. What had the girl been doing in here? She had been looking at the mirror intently as if she saw something there, but when Kairos had transported back, the mirror was blank. She flicked her pale hand, and an image began to form. She could almost make out Patrick before the image disappeared again.

So, the girl had seen Patrick. But was that all she had seen? And what did the image mean to her? Did Calla know about the original curse? Kairos considered what it meant if she did. Nothing really... it wouldn't mean anything.

She shook her head. No, of course, whatever Calla knew, she couldn't break the curse unless she broke the oath to herself first. And that wouldn't happen. Kairos would make sure it wouldn't.

Beast lay on his bed, feeling utterly sorry for himself. Nothing seemed to make it better, thoughts of the past or thoughts of possible futures. He was stuck in the present and he didn't know a way to change it. How could you change the present anyway? Was it even possible?

He wondered whether Calla had got the parchment back safely. He hoped she was ok, and that she hadn't run into Kairos. He felt so guilty, whether she had or not. He didn't know why; he had never felt guilt in his life. Why had it started now? It was so strange: one minute he felt sorry for her, then wham, guilt washed into him like a wave onto a cliff. It overwhelmed him so he was unable to feel anything else. He could barely breathe. Even his body didn't ache so much, just his mind. He wondered whether the other beasts had gone through this pain, both physically and mentally.

In fact, Kairos considered, watching him in her mirror, nothing of this sort had ever happened. But then this time was different in many ways. The eyes for instance. Never before had such a resemblance occurred. Of course there were always Beauty's curls, reminding her of her sister, the girl who had started this. But now, there were her eyes, and Patrick's too. Was it a symbol of fate, or just a coincidence, the two Fortner girls tied with him? No, it couldn't be a symbol. It must be a coincidence of random genetics.

She looked again at the mirror, studying the wolf-like creature that lay forlornly on the bed. Another difference, how wolf-like Adam's Beast was. Every generation the Beast got more wolf-like and less human-like. And every day as a petal dropped the Beast got worse, a strange side-effect of the curse. Soon enough Adam could turn into a wolf... maybe or maybe not, even Kairos didn't know. It wasn't her who came up with the curse, and it wasn't her who had gotten the boundaries wrong. Only the mysterious Voice could answer for that. Now, generations later, she knew her full worth and her full power. She knew what she could do, but more importantly, she knew how to control it, and use herbs and potions to maximise it. But still, she couldn't help conjuring a rose, her favourite flower and the thing she had begun her powers with. It was odd how the flower that signified the Beast's doom was one that brought such pleasure to her. Or maybe, considering her broken soul, it wasn't.

She waved her hand and the golden mirror reverted back to its clear state, reflecting nothing. It was during the second generation that she had found the mirror, with Patrick's son. Both his parents, Patrick and his new beautiful wife, had died, and he lived alone in the castle-like manor house. He was eighteen if she remembered correctly, and incredibly easy to manipulate. Once he had bargained his way out of the curse he was too scared to ever return to his family's home. That was how she had inherited it, using the term lightly. It was she that had grown a forest around it, making her guard spell flow through the trees and the earth to give it power. It had trapped the servants in the castle and it let only her, her Beast, and her Beauty enter. It was ingenious, and it worked perfectly. Of course, while exploring her new home, she had found the tower, with it's secret room and the beautiful mirror. She hadn't needed to use any spell to make it magic, however. For some reason it already was, and now it was by far her most prized possession.

It was odd, living here, in such grandeur. She had lived here for centuries, and yet, she wasn't used to it, and it felt... strange. This was where _he _had lived, and it was where the curse had first been uttered. Another strange thing about this generation: the room she had thought of as hers, the one in her favourite colour scheme, had been given to Calla, and it seemed, blue was her favourite colour too.

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A/N Hope you liked it, more soon!


	10. Chapter Nine

A/N Hey there you groovy readers! Sorry if I didn't reply to anyone's reviews, I was in Ireland in an Internet café and didn't have all that much time!

Hope everyone had a merry Christmas and a rocking New Year, and if you don't celebrate either, hope you've been having a nice time since the last update!

On with the craziness that appears in my mind:

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Calla hid the ingredients in the back of her mahogany wardrobe. She wasn't sure if there was much point seeing as this was a magic castle, and Kairos would probably already know she had taken them, but she had to try. The logical part of her mind told her this was stupid, that the spell would go wrong, that something bad might happen, or nothing at all. But the part of her mind that had seemed to be in control recently told her that she had to try. Somehow Beast had made her feel better, even though it had made him feel worse at the same time, and she had to try to repay the favour.

There was a knock on the door and she looked round, startled. She quickly shut the wardrobe doors and stood in front of them.

"Come in," she said, smiling what she knew must be the most guilty looking smile in the world.

"Excuse me miss, but lunch is served," A small servant, who looked hardly older than herself said, coming into the room with a small curtsey.

"Ok, thanks, I mean thank you." the maid curtsied again and retreated from the room. Calla breathed a sigh of relief then dashed after her. "Oh, sorry, but could you show me the way to the dinging room... Hall... erm... the place of eating?"

The maid looked a little confused, but then she said, "of course miss."

Calla followed the girl down the twisty corridors of the old castle. It felt like a labyrinth, everywhere changed as soon as she'd left it behind. But then maybe it didn't. Maybe, and this was a lot more likely, she just had a really bad sense of direction.

She tried a few times to start a conversation, but considering the maid's biggest to reply was to shyly shrug, she guessed the servants weren't meant to mix with her or Beast.

"Where's A... Beast?" She asked as they entered the dining hall.

"It wasn't my duty to inform him of lunch," the maid said simply, before walking off. Calla was left to eat at the long table alone.

As she left the dining hall she had two choice to take. Left or right. To go and see Beast, or to go back to her room and try the spell. She turned to her room. Whether that was the right decision or not she couldn't tell.

She decided to take the ingredients into her private bathroom, that way if anyone came in through the locked door she would hear them, and she would have a little more of a chance to hide her spell work. She opened the book, and again it opened on the right page for the spell. Surely this was a sign she was meant to try it. However signs don't always point in the right direction. She mixed the called for ingredients in the sink, stirring them with her hand. Finally, as she left the room, she had a sink full of bluey green liquid. There was only two more ingredients. The first was a hair from her head, and the second was a hair from Adam. They both needed to be added at the same time, under the night sky. So it looked like she was going to see Adam after all.

Adam was still lying on his bed when she entered his room. He was feeling a bit better though, and he tried to raise his head and smile as she came in. Unfortunately this looked more like he was bearing his teeth, however Calla got the point.

"Calla, hey, how are you?"

"I'm fine now, unlike you it seems. I'm so sorry,"

"It wasn't your fault. Besides, I probably just need a rest, that's what my Mom always says anyway," he looked down again. That really was the last thing he needed to do to himself, but as soon as he had hit upon the subject he couldn't help but wonder... How was his Mom? Was she worried about him? And what about his Dad, the guy who had put him here.

Calla paused, then tried to change the subject, knowing he was probably thinking about his parents. And she had to admit it was hard not to think about hers, "So, what have you been doing all day? Just lazing? Wow, you really are lazy aren't you!"

"Shut-up," he said, with out much conviction, but he did look a little brighter.

"Ok, so what are we going to do tomorrow?" Truthfully, she didn't really care what he answered, she was looking around the room for the final ingredient. The bed was probably where she was most likely to find it. So she flopped down beside him and felt her hand over the pillow until she found one thick hair.

"I don't know... trying to break the curse I guess, the sooner we do, the sooner we can get back to our old lives. I guess you have a boyfriend and parents and friends all waiting for you after your martyr mission don't you?"

"I... no actually," she gave a small laugh, "no one really. Look, I have to go, I'll be back soon though ok?"

She got up and left, "Look Calla I..." he was interrupted as the door shut behind her. He hadn't meant to hurt her, he was just trying to make light small talk. Or something. He didn't really know.

As the hairs dropped in, the liquid began to bubble. She had taken a small glass of it into the courtyard so that it could, as the book said, "seep up the night's rays," as it calmed she took a drink. It tasted disgusting, but she carried on drinking until it was all gone. Surprisingly there was nothing solid in it any more, perhaps it had acidic qualities. She returned to her room, wondering when she would feel the difference, or if she even would. She was determined to stay awake, the whole night if it came to that, but as she closed the door behind her, a wave of tiredness rushed over her and she fell asleep on the bed.

The next morning she awoke as the sunlight burned her eyes. Her whole body ached as if she had been running all day yesterday. She rolled over and dropped to the floor. She got up on her hands and knees except... it wasn't hands she saw in front of her, it was paws. She gasped, but it came out like a growl. She looked on the bed and saw the shreds of the dress that she had been wearing yesterday. What had happened to her? Was the curse spreading? Then she remembered the spell. This certainly wasn't what she had expected, but then it had worked... in a way. She knew she had to find Adam.

"A... Beast! Wake up!" Calla ran into the room, after struggling with the door knob,

"What... huh," he groaned as he woke. "Calla?" Then he focused on the wolf that had just ran into his room, he growled.

"Beast, it's me, Calla!"

"Calla?" He gave the best look of confusion a beast could, "What happened to you?"

"I... when I was putting the parchment yesterday I found a secret room, it was full of spell books and I found this one that... it was an empathy spell, and since you seemed to well... empathise with me yesterday I thought I'd try it,"

"Are you an idiot?" Beast roared, "Seriously you must be if you wanted to be like this!"

"I didn't!" She shouted back, "I just wanted to see how you felt and now well I do... Don't call me an idiot, I'm not, ok?"

"What the hell are we going to do?"

"It's reversible, I think... I'm pretty sure it only lasts 24 hours."

"Pretty sure isn't really good enough... God, I needed you to help me break the curse, not join me in it."

"I am joined with you in it!" Calla said, her voice raising as her anger did,

"I know, I know... maybe we should ask Kairos to..."

"No! No bloody way am I asking that witch for help,"

"Stubbornness is what got us into this,"

"Beast, this lasts 24 hours, a day, that's all. If I'm still like this tomorrow, I promise I'll go ask her ok?"

"I guess," he still sounded unsure,

"Now, let's make the most of it."

He gave a wolf-like grin and ran from the room, speeding down the corridors like he'd never dared to before. He could hear her catching up to him and he called on the adrenaline of the chase to speed him up. It was so... exhilarating. Suddenly he heard her stop behind him.

"Beast, it's the front door."

"It's what?"

"I said we'd make the most of it didn't I? Come on... we may not get another chance!" Together they managed to open the door and they ran out into the sunlight.

"It's beautiful," Beast said,

"Come on, into the forest!" Calla laughed, running away as fast as her new four paws could carry her.

They ran for what seemed like miles. Sometimes they would turn around, simply to make the chase more exhilarating. It seemed like a chase, although who was chasing who was a mystery. To feel the wind in his fur, Adam found a feeling he'd never had before. It was true that he had never truly let himself experience the beast side of him, in fear that it might make the curse happen faster. But now, he let go of all his worries and just let himself be absorbed in his senses. Smelling the forest air, hearing the wind rushing past him, feeling leaves brush his fur, tasting the pine scent and seeing Calla the wolf running in front of him.

"So, the Beauty is now a beast?" Kairos spoke aloud as she saw the picture developing in her mirror. "What an interesting turn of events..."

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A/N Hey, hope you liked it! Please review! Also, I wanted to get this update posted as soon as possible, so I didn't wait for it to be beta'd hope there aren't too many mistakes! 


	11. Chapter Ten

A/N Hey! Thanks for the reviews! Hope you like the chapter!

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Calla ran and ran. The wind whipped through her newly discovered fur. Suddenly she entered a clearing and stopped. The clearing was full of roses, similar to the one she had slept in on her journey to the castle. But that wasn't the reason she stopped, Kairos was standing in the middle of the clearing, looking intently into a small puddle. The puddle wasn't the normal dirty rain water, but it was silvery, and looked extremely like the surface of the enchanted mirror.

"Hello my dear. Well you do like to surprise me and make things difficult don't you?" The enchantress turned around, smiling. Calla saw that she was devastatingly beautiful, if it wasn't for the cruel, worn look in her eyes. They weren't worn from age, her body hadn't aged, they were worn from what she had done.

Calla just growled. It was a nice thing to be able to do, simply return a snide comment with a growl. She quite liked being a wolf. It seemed a lot simpler than her old life.

"Oh now, that's a little rude is it not?" Kairos said, letting a laugh out, "But what I would like to know is how you did it,"

"I took a spell from one of your books," Calla said simply. She saw Beast arrive in the clearing from the corner of her eye. He just seemed to glare at Kairos, he kept quiet though.

Kairos frowned. "How... did you get in there? That room does not open for just anyone you know... and even more..." her voice trailed off as she realised she had been speaking her thoughts. How had the girl performed the ritual? Kairos knew all the books in her secret library were full of magic that could only be performed by an enchanter, and a powerful one at that. And how had the girl found that particular spell... it was a mystery.

"The mirror just opened," Calla said, giving what could be called a shrug, although it obviously looked different on a wolf.

"How interesting," Kairos muttered, "well, I think my dears, it is time to go home, don't you?"

"Home?" Beast said, his voice rising in excitement before he could stop himself. Kairos gave another of her laughs and waved her hand. They were back in the castle, in Beast's room. Beast cursed himself for letting himself get his hopes up.

"Now, I think you have caused enough trouble for today. So you can stay in here until I decide to let you out." Kairos gave another smile and exited the room, they heard the door lock behind her.

"Well, there's one consolation," Calla said,

"What?" Beast asked, a growl in his voice.

"She was so totally pissed off with us!"

Beast's mouth opened in a wide grin that bared his fangs. "That definitely makes confinement worth it."

They spent the rest of the day talking, each taking turns with lying on the bed and prowling the room. There wasn't much of a choice in their actions of the day, but none the less both enjoyed themselves. Calla was open about most of her past, telling Beast about her Dad, and her school, she left out mentioning her Mum and Gran. It hurt too much. Beast didn't really disclose much, he was still determined to forget his old self. It was an interesting day for him though, he asked questions and found that listening to Calla's stories was not as boring as listening to other people had been. Not that he had ever given listening much of a chance.

As the room grew darker the only light came from the few candles placed around and the slight glow from the red rose. The rose that they both watched out of the corners of their eyes, hoping and yet despairing at any change. It was the curse made into a thing, it was something for them to hate. By this time they were both lying on the bed, their backs to each other. It still felt comfortable and friendly though.

Neither of them had ever been this close to a friend. Neither of them had had any real friends. Except for now. For they both realised that as unlikely as it was, they were becoming closer, they were becoming friends. Logic stated that they should hate the other, for it was in a way the pthersfault that curse was still upon them both, but they didn't. There was enough to hate as it was, and the hate that burned through them felt better when it was directed at someone or something else.

"I'm kind of tired," Calla said, after giving a small yawn in the middle of a sentence.

"Yeah... maybe the spell will wear off in the night,"

"Hopefully," Calla said, giving a small smile before yawning again. It was odd, she didn't really mind being in the state, the spell had definitely worked, it had made both her and Adam feel better.

"Night Calla... I'm glad that it's you, rather than some wierdo,"

"Thanks, I think. Yeah... you're pretty cool for a Beast," she grinned, glad he wouldn't be able to see her. It was getting a little sentimental now. Must be time for sleep. She was never at her best at this time of night.

The next morning Calla awoke to the feeling that she couldn't breathe. As she opened her eyes she realised it was because her face was pressed against Beast's fur. She quickly rolled away, knowing her face would be glowing with embarrassment. Oh dear. She had been practically hugging him in her sleep, that would be a hard one to explain. She sat up, her legs dangling off the side of the bed. It was then she realised that the spell had reversed itself, she was now looking at her former self in the wide mirror that dominated the room. She was human again.

She crept round the room to the door, luckily it was unlocked. She opened the door to let herself out then quickly glanced back. Beast's eyes were closed, he was definitely sleeping, lucky for her. She closed the door and tried to find her way back to her room.

Beast opened his eyes as the door closed. He hadn't been asleep, in fact he had been awake a while, but that would have been embarrassing to admit. He didn't know why he hadn't rolled away from Calla's touch, or even woken her up. He had just... liked being there. It was comfortable. Even though she was human, even though she reminded him of everything he wasn't. Perhaps it was human touch, or perhaps it was hers, to be honest he didn't really want to think about it.

He rolled over to face the other way, to face the mirror. He really didn't want to think about it. Way too complicated. He looked at himself in the mirror, what he saw wasn't what Calla saw. She saw the Beast- although he didn't realise that she was seeing less of the Beast and more of Adam as the days passed- but he saw himself, Adam, the human form. There was a hazy form around him that he knew was the shape of the Beast, the way he looked on the outside. Hewasn't surewhich was more torturing, showing him what he was now, or showing him what he used to be. but he assumedit was the latter, which was probably why that was what the mirror showed.

He sighed. It was all way too complicated.

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A/N Hey! Hope you liked the chapter, please review! 


	12. Chapter Eleven

A/N thanks for the reviews! I now have the whole story planned. It is just a case of stretching it out over chapters. Also, I sent thie to Trudirose to beta, but we haven't been able to be in contact, so I thought I'd just post it anyway. Sorry if there are any mistakes!

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Kairos walked through the woods, trying her best to understand. How could it be? No other Beauty was an Enchantress, none in thirteen generations. She had thought for a while that the magic could be genetic, but when none had shown signs, she had dismissed herself as one in a million. An odd statistic that never really counted. And now Calla... she had Kairos' eyes, she had her power. But she also had characteristics of Beauty, the hair for one thing. Some would say it was coincidence. But then some might say it meant something, that all these combinations were metaphors for something else, something of higher meaning. And it was odd that this Beauty occurred at the last generation. It seemed significant in some way, but Kairos didn't really want to examine why. 

She sighed, the Voice wouldn't be pleased. It didn't agree with the way she did things, said she took too many risks. But Kairos knew that this was the only way the curse would work, that the Beast would take the deal. The Beast's after Patrick all seemed to have one thing in common, stubbornness. It meant that they would not readily accept a deal, even if it meant freeing themselves from the curse. No, she had to let them meet the Beauty, let them think they stood a chance, then rip the Beauty away from them at the last moment. That way, when they were downhearted, in despair, the deal would seem like the only way out. And of course it called out to the trait they had all inherited form Patrick, selfishness.

The woods were certainly beautiful on this morning. The sun gleamed through the trees, spattering the ground with golden traces, almost like those seen on the bottom of a clear river. She could almost hear the river, it had changed course throughout the centuries but it was still nearby. She knew these woods so well, it was odd, centuries had passed and so much had changed in the surrounding areas and in her, but these woods stayed the same. Calm and peaceful, they were the place she always went to relax and to take time off from... well general thinking. She didn't know it, but that was exactly what Calla did too.

Her silvery-grey dress swished around her ankles, her bare-feet hardly feeling the soft moss on the ground. Around her ankle she wore a thin ankle bracelet. It was just a plain silver chain but she always wore it. It was a simple treasure, not much to look at but her father had given it to her as a bracelet but she had decided to adapt it over the years, and it had always been a bit too big for her wrist. It was the one thing that reminded her of who she had been at one point in her life and, unlike Adam, she didn't want to forget that. Shemustn't forget that.

Soon she was out of the forest, and walking along the tarmac road that led to Calla's town. She could easily have used magic to get her there, but she preferred the walk. This was country she knew, the town had once been the village she'd grown up in, and she felt... at home here. Not in the manor house, but walking along the roads, and in the forest. That was where she truly felt like she belonged, the only place where the past didn't seem to matter. Of course so much had changed, the old dirt track was now a road and the small village had enlarged drastically. But the essence was the same. As she reached Calla's house she saw a familiar person walking down the road towards her.

"Hello Annabel,"

The woman stopped dead in the street, her red curls blowing gently in the breeze. "What do you want? Where's Calla? I mean, how is she? Please... don't make her do this."

"I wasn't aware I was making her do anything, but I would like a word with you and your mother, would you be so kind as to oblige?"

Annabel began to shake her head, but stopped and sighed. "You don't make anyone do anything, but you don't give them many options," then she turned around and led the way back to her house.

* * *

Not knowingthat this was happening, Calla and Beast were eating breakfast in the castle. A maid brought in a bowl of porridge for each of them, then returned with the sugar and milk, gave a small curtsey then left them on their own. It was very odd and the atmosphere was slightly uncomfortable.

"I..." began Calla, although she didn't know how to finish, "it was nice talking to you yesterday, I often feel as though I don't have anyone to really... talk to."

"Well, at least you have a brother!" Beast said, giving a laugh and remembering bits of conversation from last night. Usually it would have taken him weeks to remember someone's name, never mind whether they had siblings or not.

"Yes, Daniel's great but... he's away a lot, I mean he has just started university, he doesn't really have time for me," she rolled her eyes, "God, don't I sound like a whimpering fool."

"A whimpering fool?" Beast laughed, "what odd expressions you English come up with!"

Calla shrugged, "I think that's just me, I just make stuff up so that it kind of makes what I'm saying make sense. See, my sentence structure is all over the place,"

"I was never good at grammar anyway, English never was my forté,"

"What is then?" Calla was glad that they had managed to get over the awkwardness of this morning, and ease back into jaunty conversation again,

Beast paused. As Adam he had never really had a... _thing. _He was just popular, for a reason he couldn't quite work out... he wasn't exactly the nicest of characters, "I guess I'm good at sport," he reasoned, trying to think of anything else, then it struck him. "Art. I love art... whether I'm good at it or not... I don't know, but I like it..." he thought back to the first time he had met Kairos, when he had been doodling in class. Odd, he hadn't taken his eyes off her, but his biology book's first page was still a portrait of her, of her teenage self anyway.

"Art ey? Cool, and I bet you're wicked at it!" Calla said, in her enthusiastic way,

Beast lifted his paws, "I'm not going to be drawing much now am I?"

"Of course you will, we are going to break this curse, one way or another... and even if we don't," she added with a smirk, "you can always hold the pencil with your mouth."

"You think you're funny, don't you?" Beast said, shaking his head.

"Of course I do. BecauseI am."

"Anyway, what's your thing? I know it's not comedy,"

"Neither is yours! I don't really have a thing. I'm -as my teachers would say anyway- an all rounder,"

"Oh, lucky!"

"I've always wanted a thing actually," she said with a sigh, it was half mocking, half serious. She had wanted a thing, she remembered a girl in her Primary School that did judo, and a boy who played piano. It would have been nice to be that interested in something.

"You can always take something up now."

She shook her head, "Nah, it wouldn't be the same really, I don't really mind."

He gave a smile, and it struck her for the first time in a while that she was sitting at a table, wearing a seventeenth century dress, eating porridge with a wolf-like beast. She had managed to lose herself in conversation so it hadn't mattered what he had looked like. Sure, she had prided herself on not being shallow, but when it had come down to seeing him for the first time, she had never thought that she would be sitting here having a normal... no, not normal a nice conversation with him. He was not only a nice guy, he was one of the nicest she had met. Beast or not.

* * *

Kairos was, at the same time thather Beauty and Beast were growing closer, sitting at Calla's dining table with her mother and grandmother.Kairos glanced around the small cottage kitchen, she had seen it many times in the mirror, but had never seen it for real. It seemed different, yet everything was the same. There was a small fridge at one end and next to the window was a line of wooden surfaces, one with a sink and one with a washing machine underneath. The gas cooker was at the other end, an old kettle whistling on the ring as Annabel made tea. But the feeling the room gave Kairos, one of family, was totally different to what she had expected. It made her feel uneasy, because no matter how "at home" she felt in the woods, she had never felt like she had a family. Perhaps because she never had.

"What is that you want?" Naomi, Calla's grandmother, asked with contempt, "you haven't spoken a word since you arrived. Now tell us what you want, as you must want something, Witch."

"I do wish you wouldn't call me that, my name is Kairos. Greek, like your daughter's in fact," she added, with an innocent smile, Naomi just scowled.

"You think that because you have these powers you can come in and ruin all our lives? I have seen you do it to my daughter, and now my granddaughter. I won't allow it any more!" Naomi stood from her chair, but Kairos lifted her hand and Naomi found herself pushed back into the chair.

"Naomi, please, I thought that perhaps we had gotten over the old grievances, I thought I could come here and indulge in some pleasantries before I said what I came to say, but you want me to brashly begin? Has common courtesy really been lost so soon?" Kairos looked at Annabel who was standing by the sink, pouring hot water into three cups, she wouldn't catch the enchantress's eye, so Kairos looked back to Naomi, "don't forget that just because I don't look it, I am still older than you, much older, and I was always taught to respect my elders."

Naomi said nothing, and just sat in silence, scowling. Annabel gave a cup to Kairos then gave one to her mother and finally sat down and sipped her own tea, even though it was much too hot for drinking.

"Well, I think that all of our nicety's have been exhausted. So I shall press on, with the reason I came here, Calla is fine, she is doing well... although she is indeed surprising. I am sure that you noticed the similarities between us?"

"She is nothing like you!" Naomi spat out, her anger a close mirror of Calla's when Adam had told her the same thing.

"It is her eyes isn't it?" Annabel said quietly.

"Yes... it seems family traits are strong in this generation," Kairos said, ignoring Naomi.

"Family traits?" Annabel shook her head, "I don't understand, I know that Calla has my mother's anger but... how could her eyes be..." she stopped as realisation hit her, "who _are _you?"

"I am Kairos, but I am also..." for the first time, Kairos didn't feel in control. Well, not for the first time, but the first time since the curse had been put in place, "I am the original Beauty's... sister."

Both Naomi and Annabel gasped. They had never thought that they could be... related to their captor. The woman who had made their lives so hard, she was their... relation. It couldn't be.

"No... you can't be..." Naomi couldn't even finish her sentence, but Kairos nodded anyway.

"Yes, I am," her voice had reclaimed the strong tone it usually commanded, "although that is not all that I have come here to say. Calla has more of my... traits as we can call them. Yesterday she performed a spell, and it succeeded. She seems to be,"

Annabel interrupted, "An enchantress."

* * *

A/N Well, I actually planned this chapter to end further along in the story, but this is quite a good break and I put more... stuffin there than I expected, so it is as long as my chapters usually are. Cool! Review please! And then shall you get the next update! 


	13. Chapter Twelve

A/N Ok... I'll admit it. I am fantabulosly proud of this chapter! Yup, I am. I love it, hehe! But obviously it is up to you guys! I already got someone to read it first and wow! Thanks for that pre-review, it has so brihtened my spirits Belle! So, hopefully this is good enough for you lot, you lovely readers you!

So, I shall leave you now to read my chapter, and review, because you are kind like that! And I shall go off to the dentis (wish me luck) and then get down to actually using my half term wisely by doing coursework and revision. Well, I'll try anyway!

* * *

Kairos looked shocked, "She has already shown... signs of being an enchantress?"

"No... not exactly," Annabel replied, shifting uncomfortably under the equally shocked- and in Naomi's case, disapproving- looks of Kairos and Naomi. "What I mean is... this doesn't surprise me. Calla has always been... different. She thinks I don't know her, but I always watched from afar. We could never be close... not when I knew this was going to happen to her. And not when I knew it was my fault."

"It is not your fault." Naomi said stiffly, though she too had blamed herself.

"We have all dealt with the curse differently. You carried on, blindly ignoring it, I tried that... but it would never leave me. The castle would never... We never talked of it, but I often dreamed of it. And I know that... Calla did too. She wouldn't tell me, she told her father, and he told me. Of course he never knew of the significance... but I got her to describe it to me once, when she was little. It was the same place where you live," Annabel continued, looking at Kairos.

"She dreamt of the castle..." Kairos said quietly, looking distractedly into her tea. "But what of magic?"

"She has never used magic before, but..." Annabel looked to the ceiling, trying to keep herself from crying. "When... David died, she wouldn't come out of her room for a week. I couldn't do anything, I was too distraught myself... but Daniel went to comfort her. He said he found her, everyday, tending the roses she kept in a small vase. David had given her them for Valentine's day. But David died over a month after Valentine's. I don't know how she kept them alive... but I couldn't think of anything then. At the time it just made sense that she would cherish them. But now... I realise that she must have..."

"Used magic?" Naomi interrupted, shaking her head, "Nonsense, I mean that is... just plain silly, she just took care of them well."

"Perhaps, I am probably just looking for meaning where there is none but coincidence."

"No," Kairos said, still speaking in quiet tones, "I have kept a rose alive also. Roses are my favourite flower... they were what I first made magic upon."

"And they are what the curse centres around," Naomi added cuttingly.

"Yes, it seems this family has an affiliation with roses," Kairos said wryly.

"I wish I could have saved her. Why, why, why didn't I save her from this? Why didn't I break the curse, why couldn't I? It isn't fair!"

"Life isn't fair," Kairos said.

"You!" Naomi shouted at Kairos, rushing to hug her daughter who was now crying freely, "this is your fault! Without you this curse wouldn't be here, we could all have lived happier!"

"Do you not think I know that?" Kairos said, her emotions slipping suddenly. Crystal tears were rolling down her pale cheeks. Naomi looked shocked, Annabel wasn't seeing, she was just... there. Depression had taken her mind to a place where it could rest easier. And it was all down to Kairos. All the times she had ever tried to change things, ever tried to make a difference, it had gone wrong. Most of her life she had been watching as events happened, her mother had died, her father had descended into depression- much like Annabel's- and Beauty had grown so fair that no-one could compare. She had watched as the world went past her, as life went past her, as everyone she had ever known- or loved- went past her. She had only tried to take control but a few times. And it had gone deadly wrong. "I'm sorry but this is just something I must do!" She shouted, rising from the chair, her hair whipping round her in a newly conjured wind.

* * *

Calla and Beast had decided to spend the day in the courtyard. The sun was shining brightly and the fountain glistened as though jewel encrusted. The bench was occupied by Calla. Ivy was twisting itself around the stone legs, giving depth and colour to the designs already engraved onto it. Beast was lying by Calla's feet. To anyone approaching the sight would mimic a colour plate in a book of fairy tales, a young girl wearing a flowing green dress with a wolf resting at her feet like a dog at a fire, around them ivy covered ugly stone walls, enclosing them forever in a curse. As you walked closer the scene would get ever stranger, you would hear the quiet words of the girl, her voice tinkling like the fountain, and the growling replies of the Beast.

"This is surprisingly nice isn't it... I mean it's never normally this kind of weather here and I didn't expect..." Calla looked down at Beast, her eyes serious, "What I mean is... I never expected to come here and find,"

"A Beast?" Beast interrupted, not daring to look at her, for fear of her reaction. For fear she would nod and acknowledge that he was right, that he was indeed a Beast. Even now he tried to deny it. On the surface, he knew what he was and what he would always remain. On the surface he hated Kairos and he would never love. But below the surface... a different person remained, with hope.

"No, I expected that," she replied, mocking him, though her words cut him deeper than any ever spoken to him. He knew then. "I thought I would come here and find a monster. But I didn't, I found you. And no, I don't think you're a monster, what ever you look like on the surface." She smiled down at him, her red lips parting slightly showing her pale white teeth. He couldn't help but smile back, however contorted his teeth-baring may look. When he saw her smile, he had to smile too, even if it was just in his mind. Her smile flowed through him, warming him like never before. It filled his every atom with hope... and more.

"You don't know what that means to me," He replied, truthfully as his personality and male-ego could allow.

"It's just the truth," Calla said, shrugging and giving another small smile. She closed her eyes for a moment, and images flew over her closed lids. She saw so many things it was impossible to decipher each until they slowed, showing a bed. The image grew clearer and she saw her Grandmother, lying deathly still, her face grey and taut with age. Calla had never seen her Grandmother looking this ill, or this old. She saw her mother enter the room then, carrying a bowl of water and a cloth. Annabel wiped Naomi's forehead gently with the damp cloth, obviously trying to sooth a fever. Naomi's once red curls had turned a silvery grey. Calla gasped in shock at this sight as they had been as red as hers when she had left, with only a tendril here or there of grey.

"Calla, what is it? What's wrong?" Beast's worried tones reached her through her divination, if that was the right word for it.

Her eyes opened, and her pupils were vastly dilated, filling her normally blue eyes with darkness. "I must see Kairos."

* * *

Kairos wiped the mirror clean of the courtyard scene and leant heavily back in her throne. She was exhausted, such works of magic followed by quick transportation could do nothing but drain her vital energy. She sighed stormily, no doubt the coming conversation with Calla would also sap power from her, but it was all necessary. Everything was necessary now, in this final stretch. Soon she would be free to rest... assuming the Voice kept to its word.

The door flew open and Calla strode in between Kairos and the mirror. Her face was clouded with grief and anger. Her mouth was stone-set, her eyes filled with so many emotions they were like an ocean, forever changing.

"What have you done?"

"I have done what had to be done." Kairos said wearily, "I take it my vision got through to you?"

"Of course it did," Calla spat, "You knew it would! Why did you send me such a nightmare?"

"It is not a nightmare, but a vision of what is even now happening at your house,"

Calla gasped, choking back a sob, her eyes were water filled, intensifying the comparison to the oceans. "No, please, no," she said quietly, her voice choking again.

"I'm afraid it is so."

"Why did you do this?" Her voice grew stronger as her hate lashed out at Kairos, "Why?" Her words flew across the room roiling in anger. Kairos flinched as they hit her, not just because of the emotions wrapped in them but because they were filled with literal heat. Calla's powers were obviously extending. Kairos wished she could instruct her, show her how to control them, but for now they were enemies, whether either wished it or not, and she could not instruct an enemy. If only there had been time after... but alas, there was time for nothing after.

Calla's eyes widened, "Your cheek it's... bleeding,"

Kairos wiped her cheek, her fingers coming away bloodstained. "You did that," she said simply, with no anger or hate in her voice. She was emotionless, except for slight admiration. "You are an enchantress like me."

"I... no I can't be."

"You are, and you have the powers to save your grandmother, if you so wish it."

"I do? How? I need to see her, please, help me," Calla pleaded with her captor, unaware of the other presence in the room.

"You are free to leave, I do not keep _you _captive here."

Calla's eyes flew to the door, Beast was standing watching the two enchantresses. He had been shocked to see Calla fight Kairos with her own anger, and he had been pleased. But now... he knew she must go, he didn't need her to look at him with those pleading eyes. It only served to hurt him more.

"Go, you must. It is your duty to save your family, not to save me," he growled, before turning back to the staircase and running down it.

A tear trailed down Calla's rosy cheek as she turned back to Kairos. "I must go. Beast is right, it is my duty, and one I must fulfil."

"You sound as though you regret it?" Kairos said, not meaning to pry, but simply curious of this girl who was so like her, and yet reacted so differently. Would Calla have done the same as she had? Or could she have grown up like Calla if she had been raised with such a loving family? Such answers could never be answered, only pondered.

"I do not regret helping my family, that is a duty yes, but one I do eagerly, I could never live with myself if I did nothing. What I regret is this curse, and my inability to break it before you did such a thing as to force me to flee." Calla spoke with wisdom, her head held high. She spoke with a wisdom beyond her years, and words beyond her time.

"Very well, go to the bottom of the staircase and you shall find the door to the forest. Then you shall have only yourself as a guide." Kairos waved a hand lazily and Calla left the room. She didn't see the tears rolling down Kairos' cheek.

* * *

Beast was waiting at the bottom of the stairway, along with the double doors she knew would lead her away from this enchanted place. "I'm sorry Beast,"

"It is what you must do."

Calla stopped fighting the tears as she buried her head in Beast's fur, he stood still as a rock, not moving at all except the pounding of his heart. She hated to do this, she knew she was playing straight into Kairos' hands. The witch has planned this, she had cast some sort of spell on her Grandmother. Calla knew the witch had only done this because her and Beast must have been close to finding another way to break the curse, and that by leaving the witch would accomplish her plans. But she could not remain here when she knew her Grandmother was so ill, not now she knew she could save her. Calla was an enchantress. Now she thought about it didn't seem so strange, not compared to all the things that had happened to her recently.

"I don't want to leave, I know this is just what she wants. Please be strong while I'm gone?" She asked, looking directly into Beast's yellow eyes, not flinching at the closeness to his protruding fangs.

"I'll try,"

"I will come back, and we will save you, I promise."

"Do what you need to do, and don't think back to me, I'll be fine, honestly."

"I know. I promise I'll return Adam." And with that last utterance of his former name, she rose from the floor and walked to the doors. She opened one, and the sunlight cascaded in, showing the dust in the air. She turned to look at him, tears still flowing gently down her cheeks, then she was gone. And he knew she would never return.

* * *

A/N I am practiacally in tears here... oh wow, that was sad even if I do say so myself! But really, what do you think? Please, tell me all in your reviews! I want really juicy big long ones this chapter please! 


	14. Chapter Thirteen

A/N Hello my readers. I'm sorry there has been such a break in my updates but I do have 5fanfics on the go, as well as an original AND a little matter of my GCSEs. Yes, I know, it is a stressful existance. Well, next week is officially a week of hell, considering the amount of tests, performances and coursework deadlines. But there is one good thing from that, I decided I should update before it commences because I doubt anything will get updated then! So, here you go, the penultimate (not including the epilogue) chapter of Rose of Red. And yes, I know it's quick but in my re-write (planned for the summer) the story will get elongated ok? Good. Now READ!

* * *

Tears have been compared to many things in the history of literature. But there is no words to describe the tears that rolled down Calla's cheeks as she walked away from the castle. They embodied her sorrow, her pure and unadulterated sadness. The sky grew dark as clouds covered the sun but it didn't rain. She walked down the path and into the forest. It was a place she had been often, a place she had once felt at home, a place she had once felt safe. But now, perhaps because this was an unfamiliar part, or perhaps because of the scene she had left behind, the forest was a dark and dismal place. A place that reflected her emotions.

She had never had a friend, but that is what she had in Adam. Whatever he looked like, however he had acted once, he was the only person she had ever connected to. And she knew that wasn't just to do with the spell. At least she hoped it wasn't. Calla hadn't wanted to leave him but she had no choice. That was Kairos' aim, to force them both into a corner with what seemed like no escape. She wished she could have stayed, however crazy that might seem. Then she could have stayed with Adam and helped to save him from becoming the Beast. Somehow they would have broken the curse.

But she had had no choices, her family needed her, and she had the power to help. She was an enchantress. It was so... surreal, but nothing in the past few days had seemed normal. _The past few days? _Calla thought to herself. It couldn't just be a few days ago that her mother had told her of the curse. Had only a few days passed since she'd thought her life was over? So much had changed since then, her perspective and even her personality. The curse wasn't even a curse to her now. It was a... gift, because it meant she had met Adam, it meant she had been forced to test herself and her views. Her life was far from over, it had only just started, at least that is what she had been thinking before the vision. Now she didn't know. If she saved her grandmother would she have time to get back to the castle and save Adam, would she even be able to return? And what would she tell her family?

Her thinking had taken her through the forest without much trouble. She hadn't concentrated on the directions but had just _felt _her way home. Surprisingly she had now reached the road. Soon, she would be home. Or at least what had been her home. Now she didn't know where that was, home is where the heart is some said, and where her heart lay was a mystery to her. As she reached her street the rain began to fall, concealing her tears. She realised then she had been crying freely the whole time it had taken to make the journey. _What magic, _she thought, _made the journey to the castle take so long? Why has it been reversed now? _Maybe it was her will that made her return so quickly, she did have a will of magic now.

Calla opened the door and stepped into the hallway of her house. "Mum?" She called.

"Calla?" Her mother cried, running from downstairs. She enveloped her daughter in a hug, squeezing her tightly and not wanting to let go. "You're soaked, you have to get changed and your wearing..."

Calla realised then she was wearing her castle attire, that of a seventeenth century lady. But there were more pressing issues than her clothing. "Mum, where's Gran? Kairos showed me the most horrible vision is it..."

"It's true," Annabel interrupted. "She's upstairs. I wondered whether that witch would let you out."

"She wasn't keeping me captive," Calla said, remembering the scene in the tower, remembering the look on Adam's face. Before the tears began again she followed her mother upstairs. She knew there would be plenty of reasons to cry awaiting her.

She followed her mother into her Grandmother's room, steeling herself for what might be there. The sight was even worse than the vision had portrayed. Her Grandmother looked even paler and even more frail. It was hard to even tell she was breathing. Her silver locks were pale and stuck to her head with sweat. Her eyelids moved rapidly as she slept. Annabel went over to the bowl of cold water next to the bed and began to wipe a cold cloth over Naomi's forehead.

"I can't believe she did this. This is lower than I ever thought she would go..." Annabel looked stricken, she had been trying everything she could to help Naomi but she knew there was nothing she could do to cure her. The cold cloth didn't bring her temperature down even a degree. She couldn't bear to lose someone else she loved.

"Mum I... There is a reason Kairos let me go... well, she said I wasn't her captive but," Calla sighed, "I'm an enchantress. I know it sounds crazy but,"

"I know," Annabel said, interrupting her once again, "Kairos told us, and I have to say it wasn't really a... shock."

Calla narrowed her eyes, "You knew? How?"

Annabel gave an unamused laugh, "I know you don't think I know you at all, but you are my daughter and I have paid more attention to you than you think. There have been signs."

"I..." Calla didn't know what to say to that revelation. Instead she continued with her story, "So... Kairos said I have the power to save Gran. I don't know how, but I have to try."

"Oh Calla... you're so much braver than I ever was." Annabel said coming over to her and stroking her cheek.

"No, I'm not," Calla said, beginning to choke up again. "This was exactly what she wanted. She wanted me away from Adam, we were so close... but I had to come, I would never have been able to live with myself if Gran had died and I hadn't tried."

"Calla-Rose," Annabel said, with that voice that only mothers have perfected. "You did what you could, we have no choice in any of these events, we must only cope as well as we can. And you have coped with things beyond the expectations of anyone."

"But I went there to help Adam, and we were so close. I couldn't bear to leave."

"I wish I knew how you felt, but my time at the castle wasn't as your seems... I just wanted to come home. I missed my home so much, I missed my family and I missed my friends."

Calla wasn't used to talking with her mum like this. They had barely crossed paths before in such an emotional way. She had never known why her mother kept her distance so much, but it occurred to her now that perhaps Annabel was guilty, because she knew what was in store for Calla.

"I need to help Gran. If I can," this was the part she was so unsure of. She sat down on the chair next to Naomi's bed and placed her hands on Naomi's forehead. It was an incredible heat, one beyond any childhood illness Calla had ever experienced. She thought back to her journey through the woods and pushed away the confusion. She needed to concentrate on one thing and one thing only. Somehow she would cure her grandmother. She had to.

She cleared her mind, concentrating only on her wish. She moved one hand from Naomi's forehead to over her heart. Then Calla closed her eyes and imagined Naomi as she had been before, healthy and happy. She felt her hands growing warm she thought she could see a white light with hints of green enveloping Naomi. Calla didn't know how long she stayed like that for, but soon she felt Naomi's temperature lowering and she began to feel her own energy sapping away. She kept her hands in place until she felt almost completely drained. Then she opened her eyes and smiled up at her mother. Suddenly all she saw was black.

* * *

She awoke the next morning in her own bed. She thought for a moment that perhaps it had all been a dream, but then she felt the thumping in her head. Annabel came in to the room, and smiled proudly at her daughter. Her face was pale and she had black circles around her eyes but she looked a little better than she had done yesterday.

"Well done Calla, your Gran seems a lot better, she hasn't woken yet but I expect her body is giving her time to heal properly. You know her, as soon as she is awake she will be wanting to be up and about. How's your head?"

"It's alright, a bit sore... what happened?"

Annabel came and sat on the end of the bed, "You collapsed, with exhaustion I think, you banged your head as you fell."

"Oh."

"Do you want to talk about... the castle?"

"I..." again Calla felt stupefied. Her and her mother never talked, it had always been her dad she had confided in. But now he was no longer here. "I expected it to be horrible, I thought my life was over. I blamed everyone for it, even you. I'm sorry."

"I understand completely, go on."

Calla then retold all her experiences in the mysterious manor house. Her mother stayed quiet, absorbing all the information. Her eyes widened at some points, like when she heard of Calla's experimental spell, but she said nothing until Calla had finished. She saw her daughter's eyes were watery as she recounted her goodbye.

"You really cared for this boy didn't you?"

"Yes. He was the first person I've ever been able to talk to, he was my first true friend."

"I never felt that way about his father... I tried to like him, I wanted to break the curse. But he was truly detestable. It isn't surprising this Adam has picked up some of his bad habits. It is lucky that he isn't completely in his image though, otherwise I'm sure you too would have found your Beast... intolerable." She thought for a minute, "Beauty and the Beast... such a romantic title... so unlike the story itself."

Calla sighed, "I know... Adam and I said we could write a book about it, or a film maybe. I wish I hadn't had to leave."

"I know... Calla, can I ask you... why did you swear never to love?"

"I..." this was a question whose answer she was unsure of herself. "I thought you had betrayed me... and I thought you had betrayed Dad."

Annabel's eyes widened, "Why on earth did you think something like that?"

"Because you were meant for Adam's dad. You were meant to be with your Beast... you couldn't have loved Dad..." As Calla said it she knew it sounded stupid and childish. But that was how she had felt at the time.

"I was never meant for Jack. I never loved him, I've only ever loved your Dad in that way. Calla, I thought you knew that, he was my one and only. My soul mate," her eyes were clouded with sadness now, "I loved him so much that it hurt, and the pain when he died... I hope it is something you never experience." The she shook her head. "No... because the hurt of his death pales in comparison to the multitude of happy times I had with him. You know that don't you?"

Calla began to cry again, "I never wanted him to leave. Why did he have to? I miss him so much,"

Annabel hugged her crying daughter, her eyes filling with tears too, "I know, I know. But he wouldn't have wanted us to be sad, he wanted us to be happy, to keep living without him. But we'll never be without him, we always have his memory."

"I'm sorry Mum, it was stupid... I never thought properly I... I knew you loved him. I knew you never betrayed him."

"You just needed someone to blame," Annabel said, knowingly.

Calla nodded, "I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault darling, but what we have to decide now is what happens next. Your Gran will be alright, I'm sure of it. You did so well."

"Then... I have to go back,"

Annabel looked down into her daughter's pale blue eyes, " Are you sure? It is a hard decision, and I don't want you to make it without thinking. I should have stopped you being so rash the first time,"

"I'm sure Mum. We can break the curse," Calla said determinedly. Her emotions and feelings were suddenly clear to her and she knew exactly what she must do.

* * *

Beast had spent the night awake, padding silently through the dusty halls of the once great manor. He couldn't sleep, he was so restless. He missed Calla already, and he had never missed anyone before. Even when he had moved out of his Dad's house to live in his Mom's new house, he hadn't missed Jack. He had been a terrible father anyway. Barely even there... Adam supposed he had never really had anyone to miss. Except he wasn't Adam now. He was Beast, and would be forever more.

He had to resign himself to that fate, the curse was not going to be broken. Calla had been his only chance to break it in the "proper" way. And now she was gone all his inspiration for other ways of breaking it were gone. There was no point, without her he was doomed to fail, that was how the curse had been written. He shook his head at himself, he sounded so morbid, not that he had much choice of emotions. It was either morbid or crying. And he certainly wasn't going to be doing that.

He was out in the courtyard when the sun rose. The sky turned a deep violet then streaks of orange began to creep over the wall. Then the forest arose with the dawn chorus, the choir of birds singing out their tunes, each interweaving with the next to create a spectacular symphony. The sky lightened to a pale blue, much the same colour as Kairos' and Calla's eyes. It was beautiful but also foreboding. It was like Kairos in that respect. Beautiful but deadly. He remembered a saying he had once written an essay on in English, or rather copied an essay from Darren or Sam -one of his old friend's anyway. _Roses have thorns- Beauty and Pain go together. _It was an apt saying for his experiences. He was amazed he had actually remembered it, usually he was too bored to remember such insignificant things. But then he realised, that was one thing he hadn't been all this time. His entire life had been spent in boredom, but now in the midst of an ancient curse... he felt free. It was a contradiction but one that seemed to make sense.

He just lay by the fountain for the rest of that day, his thoughts lazily drifting back and forth like waves on a beach. Nothing mattered now and he had all the time in the world. At least he thought he did. He wasn't really sure how it would work, was there a special ceremony to be performed, announcing he was to remain a Beast for eternity. Then he remembered the rose. He ran back inside and through the labyrinth of corridors to his room.

It was there, glowing slightly as it floated in the centre of the room. It was almost completely bare, only four petals remained. Four petals to drop and then his fate would be decided. As he watched, one petal fell to the ground. As it hit the thick carpet it disintegrated into a shower of sparkles. It would have been quite amazing if his stomach hadn't been churning so much. He realised then that no matter how cool he tried to treat it, he didn't want to stay this way. He was so nervous.

"Hello my Beast. How are you faring without the lovely Calla?"

"I'm not your Beast," Beast growled, turning around to face Kairos who was standing in the doorway. She came into the room and walked towards him.

"So defiant even at the last when there is no more hope," she laughed her usual cruel laugh but it sounded different. Hollow. Like she didn't reallymean it. She glanced at the rose, it seemed a nervous gesture like one would check their watch nervously before an important interview.

Kairos _was_ nervous, thirteen generations had passed. Once Adam's soul was captured, she was free. But free for what? She didn't know what would happen after he had agreed to the deal but she knew he would, he could see it in his eyes. He was nervous too, he didn't want to live his life like this any more than the others had.

"What do you want?" He said fiercely defensive.

"As you can see the rose has almost lost all it's petals. Which means your time is running out," she glanced over at the glistening red rose again. Another petal dropped. Only two were remaining. "Which is why I am here to offer you a deal. It is simple, you pledge your future son's place in return for yours."

"Never!"

"Don't be so hasty young Beast. Think about it, you would be free. You could live your life again, you would be human again."

"I..." He didn't want to do it, he knew he shouldn't. But there was always the possibility he wouldn't have a son. It was the excuse of a coward but he could admit it. He was scared. He didn't want to remain a Beast forever, he wanted to be Adam again. And here was his get-out-clause, a way to break the curse without Calla. True it would mean the curse would carry on to the next generation but perhaps they would be luckier than he and Calla. Then he thought of Calla's daughter. Not only would he be pledging his son's life, he would be pledging hers too. He didn't know what to do.

He glanced at the rose, and yet another petal fell. There was only one left. "Time is running out," Kairos said, a small smile on her face, although her eyes mirrored his sadness, not her smile.

"I... I agree," he said, speaking the same words as Kairos had when she had agreed to her part of the curse. At his words two things happened. The last petal began to fall and the door to his room was flung open revealing a dishevelled Calla. Her jeans were muddy, her shirt was ripped and her curls were windswept but none-the-less she was indeed a beauty.

"No, stop! Don't do it Adam! I... love you!" Then the final petal reached the floor, shattering in a shower of sparkles.

* * *

A/N Ok, you can all breathe now. Well, I know I was holding my breath anyway. But what did you think? Please please please tell me in your reviews and I want long reviews this time because this chapter is longer than usual and especially emotion-packed! My next update will come as soon as possible, but with GCSEs I just don't have all that much time. I'll make time for your juicy reviews though! Please!


	15. Chapter Fourteen

A/N Ok, I know I left you on a teenie cliffhanger back there. Ok, it was a pretty big one... lol, but I had a myriad (you may have noticed I love that word) of coursework to do. But now textiles (the biggest coursework ever!) is done. WOW! My princess dress has been finished, yey lol! And this story can finally continue to the final chapter! Oh yes, I'm afraid this is the end. It is over.

Here we go, fasten your seatbelts, etc. as we commence with Rose of Red, chapter 14...

P.S There will be no author's note at the end, but please review!

* * *

The room was frozen as if time itself had frozen. No one moved, no one even blinked. No one knew what would happen next. Beast and Calla looked into each others eyes, neither daring to look away for fear time would begin again.

"You didn't make it in time," Kairos said, her voice quiet and unsure. She was shaking, never had the Beauty said the words that would break the curse... but if the spell was broken, why was Adam still a beast? She turned to Adam, "You are still mine... you agreed..."

"I did," he said, closing his eyes wishing this had never happened to him. He was sick of himself, such a coward, such an idiot... he had felt sorry for himself and let that take over. He deserved whatever fate was his.

"You agreed... and by doing so bound your soul to my master," Kairos said, her voice emotionless, the words sounding faintly robotic.

"No, but I..." Calla said, she was sure she had got here in time, "Kairos, please, don't do this."

The enchantresses looked at each other, blue eyes locked for what seemed like a small eternity. "You don't understand, I have no choice... I am truly sorry," With a wave of her hand Kairos and Adam disappeared from the room. Calla leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, her legs no longer any support. Somehow she had thought herself able to save him... but this whole thing was little more than a game, her and Adam mere counters being played from either side. But who were the real players? Evil and good? Fate? Greater beings who realised nothing of the small lives of mortals perhaps. There was nothing to be done now, he was gone, the only person she had ever... fallen for.

Calla had seen the change in him, from that first day, his anger had been imense. He was rude... he was selfish... but he had truly changed. He was a true friend. And she had loved him. In what way she wasn't sure. If only she could have saved him. She had pleaded with Kairos for him, but that woman seemed to feel nothing. At least that is what Calla could have believed if she hadn't looked into her aunt's eyes. For they were one and the same, she and Kairos. Calla knew there was a reason why Kairos had no choice as she had said. But her father had always told her there was always a choice, whether you could see it or not.

She steeled herself for whatever would come. She must not give up hope, for to give up hope was to lose everything. When her dad had died she had lost hope of ever finding happiness again, and in the most unlikely of circumstances she had found both hope and happiness. She was not willing to lose either. Calla stood and looked in the mirror opposite her. She was an utter mess, tears still fresh on her face, hair stuck to her cheek, clothes ripped and muddy. Aside from all this her eyes shone fiercely, she hadn't given in yet.

Calla wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and turned away from the mirror. She opened the door and walked out of Beast's room, then she followed the corridors until she reached the stairway to Kairos' room. She climbed it quickly, refusing to think about what she was doing, she was travelling in the same manner that she had returned to the mansion. Her thoughts were hardened, and the only thing in her mind was her destination, what she needed to do. She entered the room and walked around the throne to the mirror. Then she stepped into it.

* * *

When Kairos and Adam had transported, they had arrived in a place so dark he could no longer see a thing. He didn't know where he was, but he guessed he must be in the presence of the master Kairos had talked of. "Who's there?"

"Be quiet," Kairos muttered, "Just... shut-up alright?"

He had growled, but said nothing. There wasn't much for him to say anyway. His brain was scrambled, a mix of raw emotions- fear, confusion and... love. He had never thought Calla would truly return for him, and the fact that she had, the fact she had tried so hard... it made him feel such strength that he knew he could cope with whatever torment lay ahead, for a while at least. Hope was still fresh and warm in him. It had been yesterday at the fountain when he'd realised his feelings for Calla had changed. No longer were they simply warm, he trusted and respected her. And yes he had fallen for her. Such a strange thing to feel, but he had truly been knocked over by her. But his cowardice and hopelessness had ruined any of their chances. He almost wished he hadn't looked into her eyes when the petal had fallen, for all he saw was hope for him still. That was the only reason he himself still had hope.

A voice spoke then, interrupting his thoughts. It was a voice of power, that much was true. But of the speaker he could guess nothing. "The thirteenth soul. You have fulfilled your side of our deal Kairos. You must be proud of yourself... truly I never thought it would happen, but your power has grown much over the centuries."

"True," Kairos said. Her voice was still feeling-less. Her eyes were closed tight, even through the pure darkness she could see them. All their faces haunted her. Pale eyes, so familiar. If only she could shut out their pleading voices too.

"Of course an enchantress' soul is worth thirteen mortals so I have no choice but to return yours to you. Of course you shall be mortal once more, but free to live as such." So, Adam thought, she was doing this to save herself, to save her soul. Could he really blame her? Would he not take such a chance if given it? Had he not taken such a chance?

"I know what will happen."

"Good..." Whatever might have happened next didn't for suddenly a light emerged in the darkness. It illuminated a person. Calla. Except the light didn't illuminate her, it was coming from her.

"Calla," both Kairos and Adam whispered under their breaths. Calla blinked, obviously unable to see from her own light.

"Kairos, I have come to plead with you. Please let him go. I know this seems useless, I know you say you have no choice, but there is always a choice."

The Voice laughed, much the same as the laugh Kairos had, "Fool of a girl. There is no choice for any of you. It has already been done,"

"I am no fool," Calla said stubbornly, "Kairos, whatever help I can offer you is yours."

"And how do you expect to help her? You think your hope will overcome, or your love?" The Voice was mocking them all. It knew nothing could change the inevitable. And this is true, nothing can change the inevitable. But who can tell what the inevitable really is.

"I have power more than you know!"

"Calla, quiet yourself. I know what you want, but there is nothing that can happen. I must do this,"

"What reason is there for imprisoning him, he is innocent! Nothing can be worth this!"

"It's her soul," Adam said, "The Voice has her soul. She must make a trade. And we all agreed," for he too could hear the voices around him, the voices of his foolish and scared ancestors. They were so like him. He deserved this.

"No," Calla said, hearing the finality in his tone, "She tricked you into this!"

"Calla, there is nothing more to be done. Please go home, remember me fondly, when your married and stuff... tell your children our new fairytale as they go to sleep... but perhaps you should change the ending."

"I will change the ending, this isn't how it ends!" He could see the tears on her cheeks now, and the anger in her eyes.

"I'll never forget you, Beauty."

She opened her mouth to speak but the Voice interrupted, "Touching indeed. I do feel like crying. But there are some finalities to get through. Kairos,"

"Yes... I... Master, I give to you..." She faltered. "No, I give you nothing. There is a choice, however bleak that may seem."

"He is here, there is nothing you can do about that, girl. He is mine whether you wish it or not!" The Voice said angrily.

"I am an enchantress, my soul is worth thirteen mortal souls. I give you mine in return for theirs."

"You don't have to do that," Adam said

"Yes, I do. Calla is right... she has a gift for that... I wish you both well." Adam heard a footfall as she stepped forward, giving her soul away. There was another moment of frozen time and then a scream of rage.

"No!" The Voice shouted, "You will not do this!"

"It is already done,"

"It is not you I wanted, I wanted them! Their souls are mine for the taking."

"You are no one and no one but me belongs to you."

"I am everything!"

"No you are not," Both Calla and Kairos replied. Calla stepped forward to Kairos, illuminating them both. She took her hand.

"Thank you," Calla whispered, squeezing her hand.

"It was the right thing to do, my niece." Kairos said, a brief smile flitting across her face. The Adam was blinded as light shone for the first time into the realm of darkness.

There was one last scream of rage from the Voice and then silence. Until another spoke, different to the Voice of before but with just as much power.

"So... good has triumphed. The prisoners are to be set free and all have chosen the right path. It proves that there truly is good in the human race after all."

"Who are you?" Kairos said,

"That is of no importance Enchantress. I have been watching as this tale played out, I did think you were to fall on the side of your supposed Master, but there are surprises even for me."

"I was right," Calla said, "This is all a game... do you care nothing for the lives you may have ruined?"

"I think this is a little more complex than a game but... it's true perhaps I could have intervened, but look how wonderfully you managed Young Beauty."

Calla scowled, "That is not the point and you know it."

"Alas I do... what can I give you as an apology for my negligence? Anything you wish for."

"I wish for nothing if all here are to be set free."

"Of course they are. And such a great statement but... are you sure there is nothing? I can grant you anything?"

"I..." Calla didn't know what she could possibly wish for, she was in shock, none of this seemed real. Perhaps she had hit her head as she walked into the mirror... but then that would mean that all that had happened before that had been true. Perhaps her accident had happened earlier... or perhaps...

"What of your father? I know that he was taken suddenly from you... would you perhaps wish for one last meeting?"

Calla's eyes widened, "You could do that?"

"I said anything,"

"Then yes, that is what I wish!" The light dimmed a little for only a second or two, then it brightened once more. A new figure was standing before Calla. She dropped Kairos' hand and hugged him tightly. He stroked her hair and held her tight too.

"Calla... I am so proud of you... I've seen all you've done and I am so very proud."

"I'm sorry Dad," she said with wide eyes.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Sweetie. I love you so much you know that don't you?"

"Yes... I love you too. We miss you."

"I know. I miss you all terribly... but I am always there for you, or Dan, or your Mum if any of you need me, please tell them that. And tell them I love them."

"I wish you hadn't gone Dad."

"I as well but these things are meant to be and you will all be stronger for it. Pull together. I have to go now Calla-Rose. But I love you so much, and I never thought I could be as proud as I am now. Be happy,"

"Goodbye Dad, I love you." Calla's father kissed her on the cheek and then was gone. Calla thought she should feel all the grief again but she didn't. She had known it would be brief, but she had said goodbye. And he was proud of her... that was all she needed to know.

"I'm afraid that was all that was possible, and it is time for you two to leave now, sad as I am to say it."

"What about the other souls?" Kairos asked.

"They will be set to rest, as will you. I expect you wish to say goodbye."

Calla turned to Kairos, a woman she had hated once. But now there was no hate, only warmth. She understood now. "Thank you Kairos."

"As I said, it was the right thing. Goodbye my youngest Beauty." Kairos turned to Adam, "And goodbye to you my Beast. I congratulate both of you and wish you well... live as the others should have been allowed to." She ran her fingers lightly down Calla's cheek then smiled.

"Your souls are set free, no longer tied by any bonds."

Kairos watched as Calla and Adam disappeared, fading away with smiles on their faces. Then she saw them all, the other souls she had imprisoned. The clearest one was Patrick, his green eyes shining. He mouthed the words _thank you, _and a weight lifted from her. Then they were all gone, their souls free to rest at last.

* * *

Calla found herself back in the courtyard of the mansion, the fountain was tinkling and the sun shone brightly. Nothing that had passed seemed real... but neither did this. She closed her eyes, basking in the sunlight. When she opened them a figure was standing by the fountain. He was around her age, with blonde hair. She walked towards him as if in a dream. He turned to her and she looked deep into his green eyes.

"Adam?"

He broke out in a smile, "You still recognise me then."

"Of course," she smiled too.

"It doesn't seem real does it?"

"No..." They were standing in front of each other now. "It did all happen didn't it?"

"I think so..."

They stood there, just looking at each other, as if for the first time. Which it was for Calla. "Thank you," Calla said.

"It should be me thanking you, you saved me."

"You saved me too." He smiled, and leaned down, slowly, uncertainly. Then their lips met.

Calla awoke in her bed, sunlight pouring through the open window. A bird was singing outside in the garden. She got out of bed and looked in her full length mirror. A normal sixteen year old with red ringlets and light blue eyes. Not an enchantress. Not a fairy princess. It must have been a dream...


	16. Epilogue

A/N Ok, I may have misinformed you a little. That wasn't the total end. Just the end of the curse, and technically the end of the story. But of course, there is an epilogue! I would never ever end a story like that! I am glad you are all polite etc. but seriously, if someone ended a story like that I would kill them! Can I please have honest reviews now? I'm braced and ready! And I hope you are all going to re-read this when summer comes and I re-write it, because there will be some significant changes!

* * *

Dreams can seem so real sometimes that you will remember them for life. An experience can seem so unreal that you hope it is a dream. But what happens when the two merge? The unreal and the real, together in a way no one could ever imagine. But imagination is the only way for that to happen, isn't it?

Calla Gordon, author of the international best-seller, Beauty and the Beast, sat on a plane to L.A for the last date of her world tour. Her fingers tapped nervously on the arm of the seat, probably annoying her neighbour. She had been to what seemed like a million different destinations in the past three months, promoting her book, signing copies and answering questions from fans. Fame had come quickly, soon after she had finally managed to get her book published.

It was true, she had never actually wanted to be an author, but she had never really wanted to be anything in particular. But one night she had dreamed of a tale so beyond anything she had ever thought of before, and no matter how much she had tried to forget it, it kept repeating itself. All through sixth form the story had come to her at night, nearly every night though not quite. It permeated into her brain so it was impossible for her to forget. So she decided to write it down, as you do. This turned out to be a lot harder than she had imagined, describing the things she saw in her mind, the feelings she felt as well as trying to add what she imagined the other characters felt. It was a hard but enjoyable task. And yes, there were other characters in this tale. A boy named Adam and an enchantress, Kairos, a real enchantress with magical powers.

She had changed her own name, using the second part of her double barrelled name, Rose. But the others she kept the same, it wasn't as if someone could sue her, they were simply people from a strange and peculiar dream. After she had written the story down, she went through the much less enjoyable task of editing. The whole process took her till she was twenty, four whole years since the first time she had dreamt of the ancient curse. Then it was only the matter of finding a publisher. Many turned her down, saying the story was good but just not really what was popular now. Eventually she found someone willing to give her a chance, and somehow, overnight she was a huge success. Everyone wanted a copy of Beauty and the Beast, the new fairytale, with a perfect, picturesque ending.

It was six months since first getting published that she was asked to do a world tour, and of course she accepted. It seemed like a dream come true to travel the world when she was only twenty-one. Her friends had been totally envious, but pleased for her as well. Strangely, since the dream she had changed. She had used to be aloof, keeping her distance from the people at sixth form. But afterwards she felt confident in herself, enough to attract a close group of friends. Most of them had gone to University while she had stayed in her little town to write, but they stayed in contact. Since the dream she had also felt closer to her mum, and it had been more of wrench than expected moving out into a small flat.

A job in a bookshop/café had supported her then, but now there was no money worries. It was weird to feel actually rich. Right then she was even travelling first class, something she had never imagined. The pilot spoke then, pulling her out of her revere, telling them to fasten their seatbelts for the landing.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, I am pleased to welcome CallaGordon to our shop. Now please be seated, you will have the chance to ask any questions in a moment. Then you can get your copies signed. Calla, over to you," the American shopkeeper introduced her. There was a pretty big crowd here, but plenty of space had been cleared and she stood up on the small stage with confidence.

"Well, hi. I hope you're all ok, and thanks for coming out to see me. It's still a bit weird to be honest." she paused, "shall we just start with your questions and see where it leads?" she scanned the audience, a lot of whom had their arms raised. Most were teenagers, and she could tell a lot were parents, dragged along by their children. But there were some people her age, and older. "Your question, in the red jumper?"

"Hi, I loved the book," a young teenage girl said, "I was just wondering whether you were thinking of writing a sequel, or any other books."

"I'd love to," Calla said honestly, "But I would need an idea first, I think a sequel is out, the ending was pretty final. Another book I'd be interested in though. I hope that answers your question. Hi, er, girl in the blue."

The questions went on like this, Calla stumbling over what to name her audience, their questions that she had heard a million times before, and her pre-rehearsed answers. Not one question was one where she had to think on her feet.

"Ok, last question, then signing." Calla said, with a smile, after seeing a sign from the shop manager. "Erm..." her eyes searched the raised one last time, one guy stood out. He was around her age, and male so a complete contrast to the other questioners. He was wearing square glasses and writing in a notebook. She guessed he was some sort of journalist. "You there, in the glasses?"

He smiled, and asked, "So where did the idea for Beauty and the Beast come from?"

Calla resisted the urge to sigh. How fooled she had been by his appearance, the question was no different to all the variations she'd heard all over the world. "Well, actually I dreamt it. Weird I know, but when I was sixteen I had you know, a recurring dream which was basically the story. Although obviously it's been through vast editing, but that's how simple it was. I'm just waiting for another dream to write my next one," she said with a fake laugh. The audience laughed along too. She noticed the guy hadn't written down her answer, but was looking at her with a frown. He took off his glasses and looked even closer at her. She raised her eyebrows automatically and her mouth creased into a ok-what-are-you-doing smile.

"Well, thank you very much Calla, there'll be a short break and then the signing will begin," the manager said, ushering her off stage. He took her back behind the shop and gave her a glass of water. Then he took her to a desk, with a line of pens and a line of customers. She sat down and flexed her fingers, ready for the hours of boredom that was to come.

Hours later, finally finished, she walked out of the book shop to a chemist, buying a box of plasters for her blistered fingers. That was the price of being a famous author. Swollen fingers.

"Calla?" She span round, expecting to see her assistant, or driver. But there was the guy from the store, who had asked the last question. He walked up to her, she noticed he was quite good looking. She mentally kicked herself for noticing such things. Her last boyfriend had broken up with her a week into her tour, saying they didn't spend enough time together. More like she hadn't asked him to go with her, but that was life, and she wasn't all that cut up about it.

"Hello... another question?" She hadn't developed the hardened author answer of, 'the signing ended five minutes ago, you'll just have to wait till next time'.

"I just wanted to ask..." He was standing in front of her now, she widened her eyes and gave a small smile, waiting for him to finish his sentence. She found herself looking into a pair of green eyes. "I wanted to know whether you remembered me or not?"

Calla stepped back, eyebrows furrowed. At the sight of his eyes her mind had flashed back to the last scene of her dream. She shook her head, thinking herself stupid, "No, sorry, I've never been to America."

"I just..." He held out his hand, "My name's Adam, Adam Smith."

Her hand paused in mid-air, it was a common enough name, that's why she'd kept it in the book. It was a weird coincidence but nothing more. "Wow... what a coincidence." She said, dropping her hand, then lifting it again and shaking his as it was still outstretched. Then a weird thing happened. As their palms touched both felt an electric shock spread up their arms and their eyes widened, locking on each others'. Then they saw scenes familiar to both, of a castle, an ancient curse, an enchantress- and each other.

_Calla found herself back in the courtyard of the mansion, the fountain was tinkling and the sun shone brightly. Nothing that had passed seemed real... but neither did this. She closed her eyes, basking in the sunlight. When she opened them a figure was standing by the fountain. He was around her age, with blonde hair. She walked towards him as if in a dream. He turned to her and she looked deep into his green eyes. _

"_Adam?"_

_He broke out in a smile, "You still recognise me then."_

"_Of course," she smiled too._

"_It doesn't seem real does it?"_

"_No..." They were standing in front of each other now. "It did all happen didn't it?"_

"_I think so..."_

_They stood there, just looking at each other, as if for the first time. Which it was for Calla. "Thank you," Calla said._

"_It should be me thanking you, you saved me."_

"_You saved me too." He smiled, and leaned down, slowly, uncertainly. Then their lips met._

"Adam?"Calla said, as the vision broke. "It can't be... you?"

"Don't you recognise me?" He replied, with the same smile.

"It wasn't real though,"

"How do you know what is real and what isn't. Perhaps it was. Or perhaps it wasn't and we both just had the same dream. Which seems more likely?" The now twenty-three year old Adam said.

"Perhaps we should go for a coffee or something?" Calla replied.

"I'd love to."

* * *

A/N ok. I hate the end of this, but that is the end. This and the last chapter I absolutely abhor, but... I needed to get it finished. But, the summer re-write shall bring a whole new ending so I hope you all re-read. Please review now with total honesty, I really don't mind, I need criticism so I know how to do it better, tell me all the thinks you didn't like (and maybe some stuff you did) so I can improve for next time. This is a full story review, so tell me your over all impression. And don't worry, I know how bad the end was. And by the way, if I get any reviews of a couple of sentences or "that was good" I will hunt you down and make you tell me more. Anything welcome, but with reasons, not just "I hated it" either. Thanks!

p.s sorry for any typos but I hated this so much I couldn't bear to read through it, bad I know but hey.


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